Monster
by Nishu96
Summary: [AU] Because of his snakelike appearance, is the young boy Kabuto an outcast and people are most likely afraid of him. Everything changes when a young woman is willing to take care of him and raises him as her own son. As a young adult, he s going on a journey on which he has to find out who he is and what really matters in life...[Review!]
1. The Monster

****[A/N: Hey guys! So I came up with this new idea and well, maybe you´ll like it. Tell me your opinion about it and if you think it´s good or bad! Until then, enjoy reading!]****

* * *

**Monster ~**

**Chapter 1 ~ The Monster**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_Just don´t attract too much attention…_

That was what I thought while I walked through the small village, my old blanket laying above my head as a hood so that people couldn´t see my face. The Village belonged to a large Kingdom which laid in the West, that was reigned by an understanding, but also naive Lord. It were just rumors I heard, but still, as poor as this place looked like, I believed that the Lord wasn´t that successful in his position, especially because as much as I knew did the other three Kingdoms not have problems with impoverishment.

So as I made my way through the whole bunch of people on the street, I squinted every now and then carefully up to examine those who walked past me, as my belly suddenly made some noise. Five days had passed since the last time I ate something and because of that I was at that village in the first place, to get me something to eat. Normally I tried to avoid contact with other people, but just because they all react the same when they see my face. They´d look at me with disgust and fear, calling me a freak, a monster, something that doesn´t belong to this world. For that reason I lived on my own in the forest, inside of a little cave so that nobody had to see me.

All of a sudden I saw a booth, on which several kind of fruits and vegetables were laying on. As hungry as I was, I slowly walked closer to it, then observing my surroundings if nobody would see me and when I was sure, I grabbed me some delicious looking green apples. Holding my loot in my arms, I wanted to walk away again, but then I felt something dragging on my blanket and had to stop. Hesitant I turned around and looked then into the angry face of the sales man, whose property I tried to steal. The tall man was bald and had dark brown eyes which glanced at me with rage.

"What do you think you´re doing brat?"

Unable to say something I took fearful a few steps back, with the wish just to get away from there, but he suddenly dragged the blanket away from me and gasped.

"A Monster!"

He screamed, pointing with his finger at me so that everybody's eyes were looking at me in shock. Whispering they stood now around me, some looking at me with curiosity and others as if they had to be afraid of me. Being the focus of those guys made me become very nervous, so that I started shaking all over my body. _Please, I just want to go away…_

Afraid I turned back around to that man, but before I even could react something hit me so that I fell down to the ground, the apples laying now in the dirt. I looked above me and there was the bald man, holding a big wooden stick in his hands. Without any mercy he started bashing me with it, while I just let out some painful screams every time he hit me. Then he yelled at me:

"Freaks like you are not welcome here! Go away!"

He stopped and I tried with effort to stand back up, but the awful pain was nearly unbearable so that I had problems. I finally made it and felt then also the feeling of hunger that overwhelmed me, so that I grabbed one of the dirty apples and started then running. Since I had to get away from there as fast as I could, I ran through the shrubbery's that scratched me with their thorns. Behind me I still heard people calling after me, things like when I ever would return there that they´d kill me.

After I was sure that I had been far enough away from that village, I started walking again in a normal pace, though my limbs were hurting badly, due to the beatings which I got. Feeling that I couldn´t go any further, I stopped as I caught sight of a small little lake. The water seemed clear, so that I first drank some of it to refresh my burning throat. Afterwards I sat in front of it and glanced at the dented dirty apple which I held in my hand. Willing to wash at least the dirt off it, I dunked it into the water, but he still looked a bit sordid. My stomach growled loudly and I just took a bite from the fruit, since I didn´t want to starve.

I was done with it within a few minutes and realized that it was way too less to saturate me. _But where should I get food from? If I go back to this Village they´ll hurt me even more or the worst case kill me!_

Despair grew inside of me, while my eyes where then filled with tears. I leaned over the lake to examine my reflection on the surface, just to ask me the same I was asking myself since I could think. _Why do I look like this?_

My skin was pale and scaly, the eyes golden and around them I had violet marks. This appearance gave me the looks like a snake, no, like a monster. _Why can´t I look like a normal person? With a normal skin, eyes and so on. Everybody fears me and I never did anything to anybody! I just want to be normal and accepted by others! I want to live a normal life like everybody else! Is that really too much to ask for?_

Tears ran down my face, dripping into the water as I lost the hope that somebody ever could like me or even love me. _I´m a monster, a monster nobody ever wants to have around them…_


	2. Silver Lining

**Chapter 2 ~ Silver Lining**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

During night I laid in a little cave, shivering because of the cold inside of there. Since I had to leave my blanket behind, I was totally uncovered and the nights became colder because it soon would´ve been winter. _It´s so cold…_

The next morning I woke up, feeling a bad pain in my stomach and knew it had to be my hunger. If I wouldn´t eat something very soon, then I feared I´d starve, but I still didn´t know where to look for food. With fear and doubts inside of me I went again to the Village I was yesterday, since I didn´t believe in my condition I could´ve reached another one.

I hide behind a shrub, as there suddenly went a delicious scent up my nose. Hiding in the shadows of the trees and the shrubs, I followed it, until I saw a small house, where the scent had been coming from. On the windowsill I noticed something from which steam rose from and as fast as I could I ran there, standing then on my point of the toe to look what stood there in front of me. How it smelled like I could tell that it was something made of apples, but I had never seen something like this before. I dipped a finger into it, but was then burned because it was hot. Still determined to steal it, I grabbed it, but then all of a sudden looked somebody out of the window and down at me, which terrified me so much that I let go of my loot and stared with wide eyes at the person. It was a young woman with fawn hair and green eyes which glanced at me in surprise.

"A child…"

She mumbled and I took a few steps back, willing to run away again, but suddenly I was hit from something on my head that made me feel a little bit dizzy. I was so distracted from the woman that I didn´t notice the whole bunch of people that were standing there a bit further away from me, wearing angry expressions on their faces.

"We told you not to come back you freak!"

They started throwing stones at me and as I tried to run away, a big one landed directly on my head, making me fall down to the ground on my belly. As I touched my head, I saw then blood on my hand and panic spread through me. Now I tried to crawl away, but I felt too weak and just gave up. _Help me, please…_

"Stop!"

A high but also dominant voice ordered behind me and as I turned around, I saw that woman standing there.

"Nonō get out of the way!"

"I won´t let you hurt this child any longer! What kind of people harm an innocent child?"

"That _thing _is a monster and nothing more! Look at his appearance, he´s not a human being!"

"You really have my compassion when you judge somebody just because of how he looks like…"

The green-eyed woman kneeled down to me, having a nice smile on her lips and a friendly glance in her eyes.

"Come here, I won´t hurt you little one…"

She slightly touched me, but I jerked and tried again to crawl away, since I never had been touched by anybody like this. All of a sudden she touched my back, making light up and down movements which scared me at first, but then they made me feel looser. She then stood back up and took me as well up from the ground, while holding me then tightly in her arms. Her body was so warm and gave me a really good feeling inside, so that I closed my eyes and enjoyed this short moment of joy. She carried me inside of her house, but I heard the people outside whispering:

"She´s going to keep this monster?"

"Nonō always was some kind of strange, wasn´t she?"

"I hope this monster won´t eat us…"

When she closed the door, the voices vanished as well and she sat me down on a chair. Lightly shivering I watched as she examined me and went then away, coming back with a white box in her hands. She kneeled down in front of me and touched the injury on my head slightly, making me cry out a bit. Then she took a long white band out of the box and wrapped it around my head.

"Do you feel a bad pain?"

I shook my head and she smiled again at me.

"That´s good, by the way my name is Nonō and yours?"

Since I had no name, I looked to the ground, but she just laid her hand on my head and said:

"So you don´t have a name as it seems, well how about we think about one?"

Though I had doubts about it, I nodded, while she looked around the room, having a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Hmm what could be a good name for you…"

She gazed at something that stood on a wooden board that hung on the wall and asked:

"What do you think of Kabuto?"

I thought about it for a moment and replied then the name:

"K- Kabuto…"

"Yes, do you like it?"

Nodding I also smiled lightly at her and she seemed to be happy as well.

"Fine, so Kabuto are you hungry?"

I didn´t even need to say something, because my belly made some noise on it´s own and Nonō said giggling:

"I´ll take this as a yes…"


	3. Motherly Love

**Chapter 3 ~ Motherly love**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Nonō went away into the kitchen to prepare something to eat, while I had an unfamiliar feeling inside. It didn´t feel bad, on the contrary, it felt quite good. _Does it have something to do with that woman?_

After a while she came back, holding two bowls in her hand and placing one of them in front of me. The scent that went up my nose made my belly growl even more and it also looked very delicious. She then gave me a silver thing in the hand, but I didn´t really know what I should do with it. I looked lightly questioning at her and as she seemed to recognize what the problem was, she smiled and explained:

"That´s a spoon, it´s for getting the food inside of your mouth, look-"

Her spoon held then some of the liquid which was in the bowl on it and she took it into her mouth. I tried it as well and couldn´t believe how delicious this was. It was warm, probably the first time in my life I ate something like this, and I had finished it within a few minutes. Nonō giggled slightly and asked:

"Well, that was fast, do you want some more?"

I nodded and she went back into the kitchen, while she brought me another bowl full of the most delicious thing I ever ate. After I was done with this as well, she brought the dishes away and came then back, her hands resting on her hips.

"How about I´ll prepare you a bath now?"

I just shrugged and walked with her inside of another room, where something like a tub was standing in. She turned the water on and told me then to undress me, what I did hesitantly. Her expression seemed shocked as she must´ve noticed the whole bunch of bruises and scratches I had all over my body. With a sorrowful glance she sat me inside of the tub and as I felt the hot water on my skin, I was lightly overwhelmed from joy. Normally I was cleaning myself inside of a river, a lake or something else in which water was in, but that was most likely cold.

All of a sudden she held a yellow item in her hand, where she then spread a white substance above. The soft yellow thing felt good on my skin as she started to wash me with it and the white liquid smelled really good as well. She also rubbed some of the substance in my hair, but I felt a burning pain inside of my eyes as some of it dripped in them.

"You have to leave your eyes shut…"

She said warmly and I held them closed until she was done with my hair. I remained in the tub for quite a while, until the water became cold and Nonō took me back outside, wrapping a fluffy white cloth around me.

"Hm and now let´s see if I find something to wear for you…"

She came back with a large bluish shirt and dressed me then in it. It reached the floor since I was too small for it, while Nonō said apologizing:

"It´s large I know, but sadly I don´t have clothes for children…"

I wanted to tell her that it was no problem for me and thank her for the dinner and the bath, but the words just didn´t leave my lips. She then took me up on her arms again and carried me inside of another room, where a wooden thing stood inside with a white soft thingy laying on it. It was very comfortable to lay on there and Nonō smiled brightly at me as she seemed to notice my joy, while she stroked tenderly above my head.

"Say Kabuto, would you like to stay here?"

I tilted my head and became a bit bewildered.

"Stay…?"

She simply nodded and I looked at the blanket that laid on me. Those few hours I was here with her were probably the best in my whole life, so I really would´ve liked to stay, but I had doubts because of the other villagers. _What if they hurt me again?_

A light smile appeared on her lips and as if she knew what I was thinking, she said:

"If you think about those other villagers, don´t worry about them, I won´t let them hurt you, I´ll protect you…"

Feeling the tears in my eyes I nodded and she embraced me tightly.

"If you want to you can call me Mother from now on…"

I gazed into her green eyes which had such a soft and warm glance inside, and replied then:

"Mother…"

"Yes, I´m your Mother from now on…"

My heart felt so light at that moment and the tears ran down my face, while I snuggled on her and said sobbing:

"T- Thank you…"

A few weeks later I really got used to the life in a real home with somebody who took care of me and felt for the first time in my life happiness. She taught me a lot of things, like the names of several items I didn´t know or how to talk more freely.

One day we sat at the kitchen table and mother had laid a book in front of me, while she tried to teach me how to read.

"That means Bird. Can you read it?"

I narrowed my eyes as I tried to read the letters, but it was some kind of vague and when mother noticed that, she took her glasses off and gave them to me.

"Can you see clearer now?"

It really worked and I was able to read letter after letter clearly without any problems. After we were done, I wanted to give them back to her, but she just shook her head.

"Take them, you need them more than I do…"

Enthused I laid my arms around her neck and snuggling tightly on her.

"Thank you Mother!"


	4. What am I?

**Chapter 4 ~ What am I?**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

~ 12 years later ~

"Kabuto? Where are you?"

As I heard my Mother calling for me I slowly opened my eyes, while pushing myself then up from the bed and walked into the kitchen. I stretched myself a little bit and replied:

"I´m here Mother…"

She stood on the oven and looked at me, then walking towards me and hitting me on the head with the wooden spoon she had in her hand.

"You´re taking way too many naps…"

I smirked lightly and replied:

"Not like I have anything better to do…"

Sighing, she shook her head and concentrated again on the food she was preparing, while she casually mentioned:

"By the way, we don´t have enough of the Medicinal herbs I need to make the medicine I sell, could you go and get them for me?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Is that a problem?"

"N- No, it´s not…"

Out of my nervousness, I was holding tight on my right arm and felt how my fingernails drilled inside of my flesh. I didn´t notice how Mother suddenly stood in front of me, while she grabbed my hand gently and took it away from my arm.

"I´m sorry dear, I didn´t want to make you feel uneasy with my request, I just thought some fresh air would be good for you…"

"I know, it´s just-"

A lightly despaired sigh escaped my lips, as I thought about the reason why I didn´t want to go outside just like that. In those 12 years nothing had changed, though I had a home and a caring mother, the people outside still were detesting me. _It´s always the same with them…_

There was just one thing I regretted what had happened since I lived here and that was the fact that those villagers were treating my Mother not very nice, most likely because of me. I always wished that she and I, that we could just go somewhere else, somewhere we could live in peace and where people like us, but why should people react to me different in another country? _If there would exist just more of my kind…_

"I´ll go Mother, it´s really no problem…"

I faked a smile, though I knew she could tell that it was a false one. So I went back into my room, where I took the cloak on I always wore when I was going outside. It had a burgundy color and due to the hood people were not really able to see my face, what I appreciated.

When I came back out, looked mother at me again, sighing.

"Don´t you think it´s a bit too hot outside for this cloak?"

"I´m not very sensitive with heat and cold…"

"Well, if you feel better while wearing it. You know which one I need?"

"Sure, I´ll be right back…"

With this statement I went out of the house and directly into the Woods, since the herbs were growing on a field at the edge of the Forest. While walking, I realized that Mother was right when she said that the weather was probably too hot for such a cloak, but I just ignored the heat and walked further. 20 minutes later I had reached the place, where I immediately smelled the scent of several herbs and smiled lightly. At least at this field I didn´t have to fear anybody, since people barely came here.

I went into the squat and started picking up the right herbs, while laying them then into the basket I took with me. All of a sudden I heard steps coming closer and stood immediately up, examining a bit terrified the surroundings. From the left side came a girl, most likely my age or a bit younger, with light brown hair which she wore as two pigtails. Before I was able to get away, she had already reached me, obviously not able to see my face since she smiled at me.

"Excuse me, but do you know the way to the Village that lies near?"

Nodding I started to explain how she could get there and thought she would go, but unluckily that wasn´t the case.

"May I ask you to accompany me? It´s so scary in the Forest all alone…"

"I don´t think that´s a good idea Miss…"

I said nervously while I walked a few steps back, but she just grabbed me on my cloak and tried to drag me back.

"Please! You don´t have to be so shy…"

With all my might I pulled against her, since I wanted nothing more than just getting away, because I knew what would actually happen if she´d be able to see my face. All of a sudden she let go and I took a few steps back, but unfortunately I forgot about my basket behind me and tripped above it. Roughly I fell on the ground and while I tried to get up again, I didn´t notice that my hood wasn´t covering me anymore.

I first noticed it when I looked at that girl again, who had a very frightened expression on her face. Immediately I took it back on, but it had already been too late. The girl started screaming for help and ran away, while I just stood there, feeling a stich in my heart like every time something like this happened. Though this wasn´t something new, it still was hurting me deep inside.

Saddened I grabbed the basket again and walked then slowly back at home while being lost in my thoughts. _It´s so unfair, why am I looking like this? Why can´t I look like a normal person? Somebody who is liked by others and maybe even loved…_

When I came back home, was Mother already waiting for me, since it had become later than usual. She must´ve noticed my doleful expression, because she stood immediately up and took the hood down from my head.

"Did something happen Kabuto?"

With her hand laying on my cheek, I shook my head lightly and put her hand away, while saying:

"No, there was nothing. I´m not very hungry, so I´ll skip dinner tonight…"

Before she could reply to this, I had already been gone into my room, throwing myself on the bed and tried to sleep. I couldn´t, so I just closed my eyes, but this caused that I remembered back all the mean and malignant things people called me since I could think. _It still hurts so much…_

After a while, I heard how the door carefully opened and then how she sat beside me on the bed, stroking above my back.

"Dear, there is something I have to tell you…"

I sat up and looked into her green eyes, which were filled with concern.

"There is something I know now for a whole while, but I didn´t want to tell you about it because I feared you´d leave me. I know that was selfish from me and I hope you can forgive me, but I don´t want to see you unhappy for the rest of your life. Well, what I wanted to tell you about is a rumor I heard a while ago, which says that in the Northern Kingdom would live a Lord with pale skin, which appears nearly white and golden eyes just as your own. I know it´s just a rumor, but maybe this is what you have always been looking for, somebody who is like you…"

My eyes widened in shock because of the information she gave me and I asked incredulous:

"A- Are you sure?"

"Yes…"

"Then I have to go! If that´s really true then maybe I´d find out where I came from or what kind of species I am or-"

I stopped as I saw the tears running down my Mother´s cheeks and embraced her then tightly.

"Mother you will always be the most important person for me in this whole world, but I have to find out who or what I am…"

Sobbing she replied:

"I know, but without you it will be so silent and lonely in here…"

"I´ll also miss you badly, believe me, but as soon as I found this Lord, there´s maybe a place where I´m welcome and if that´s the case I´ll come back and take you there…"

"Yes…"

She said as she wiped away her tears and smiled then.

"As long as you´re happy, I am happy as well my dear…"


	5. A fateful Encounter

**Chapter 5 ~ A fateful Encounter**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The next day I was ready to start my journey, so I had already been awake early in the morning. I packed some things inside of a bag, like bread and something to drink, while Mother watched me quietly. It broke my heart to know that I made her sad, but I had no other choice, this was something I had to do and in the end it could be the best for both of us. When I was done, she stood up and went with me to the door, where I smiled brightly at her and said:

"I can´t tell you how thankful I am for what you have done for me all those years Mother…"

She also smiled and embraced me tightly, while she replied:

"Having you as my son was the best thing that ever happened to me Kabuto, and I hope you´ll find what you´re looking for…"

She gave me a kiss on my cheek and I went then outside, ready to find out if there existed more people who looked like me. Mother had told me that I had to get to the Northern Kingdom by ship, so I first had to walk to the harbor that laid a half day away from the Village I lived in. Luckily the weather wasn´t as hot as yesterday and since I walked through the shady woods anyways, my cloak was ideal.

During afternoon I had reached the port, but then I realized that I didn´t really know how to find out which ship would bring me there. There were two big ones, so that I carefully approached the one on the right, looking if I could find out if this would bring me to my destination. As I stood there, suddenly somebody tapped from behind on my shoulder, making me jerk a little bit. Before I turned around, I dragged my hood a bit more down so that my face was nearly completely covered. In front of me stood then a young man, wearing a blue-white cap and looking at me with a questioning glance.

"May I help you?"

He asked firmly and I replied:

"Well, I was just curious if this ship is the one which brings the people to the Northern Kingdom…"

"It´s the other one over there Sir…"

"Oh thank you…"

So I went away, but now I had the problem that I didn´t know how to get on the ship without getting noticed. I watched as a whole bunch of people ascended the ship, so that I decided to mix in the crowd. Fortunately I made it and hide myself then immediately somewhere below deck, so that I had my peace. _Mother said it would probably be two or three days until the ship has reached the other Kingdom, so I´ll just have to wait for now…_

* * *

For the next few hours I just sat in my corner, and read one of the books I took with me to kill some time. After a while I noticed that it had already become dark, so that I just leaned my head back on the wooden wall and closed my eyes. _Sleeping like this can´t be worser than sleeping somewhere outside…_

The next morning I woke up, feeling a light ache in my back and neck, probably because of my uncomfortable sleeping position. I hoped that it wouldn´t take too long until we´d reach the Northern Kingdom, since it was a little bit stuffy in that room.

Within a few hours I had finished another book and was about to read the next one, as I suddenly heard steps coming closer, though it was just very quietly. I held the book in front of my face, hoping that it was nobody who´d ask me what I was doing her all alone and without a ticket. There was then something that poked me lightly on my leg and I squinted carefully above the edge of my book. It was a small child, maybe 3 or 4 years old, with reddish hair and big blue eyes.

"What are you doing down here?"

I asked softly, but the child just made a strange noise which sounded like:

"Gou gou…"

"You can´t speak?"

The child tilted his head, but gave me then a bright smile. _Well, he probably can´t see my face in that dimly lit up room…_

He climbed all of a sudden on my lap, while I said nervously:

"W- What are you doing?!"

Before I could get him down from me, he had already laid his hands on my face, with his eyes widened a bit. I feared that he would start screaming or tell everybody somehow that a Monster sat down there, but he just started laughing while touching my scaly skin. After a while he stopped and I asked incredulous:

"You´re not afraid of me?"

He shook his head, while he went back down from me and walked away, but I stopped him before he was gone.

"Please don´t tell anybody that I´m here, okay?"

Nodding, the child was then gone, while I just sat there and couldn´t believe that somebody really touched me without running away afterwards. Except Mother, there was nobody and I mean _nobody _who ever dared doing this or would´ve wanted to do it. A light smile appeared on my lips. _Maybe this is a good sign that everything´s going to be better now…_

* * *

Two days later the ship had finally reached the harbor, and I walked unsuspicious ashore, as I suddenly saw that little boy again, holding the hands of his parents. He turned shortly to me and smiled, while I gave him a small smile as well, before I made my way towards the large Forest, in which, when my Mother had told me right, somewhere the castle of the Lord was I had been looking for.

I walked the whole day and night, until my legs couldn´t carry me any further and I had to rest. At a small lake, where also a little waterfall was with something like a cave behind it, I decided to stay there for a while. I sat down on the soft grass, taking my cloak and my shoes off, and went then a bit closer to the lake. First I splashed some cold water into my face, which made me feel more awake again, but when I started to examine my face on the surface, my mood went back down. _What if there doesn´t exist another person like me? What if this journey was for nothing?_

Lost in my thoughts, I stared at my reflection and was badly terrified as somebody poked me on my back from behind. I lost my balance and fell into the cold water, swimming immediately back up on the surface, but looked very carefully above the surface and to the place I had been sitting a few seconds ago.

"Are you okay?"

The person who had poked me asked and as I examined her, my eyes widened a bit. It was a young woman, her blue eyes looking at me with something mixed between worry and amusement. She had long bright blonde hair, which nearly reached her waist and she wore a black skirt with a white shirt blouse. _She is beautiful…_

"Come, I´ll help you out…"

I looked at her hand which she held out to help me, but hesitated. _What if she runs away as well?_

She gave me a lightly questioning look and tilted her head.

"Do you want to stay in there forever?"

Lightly I shook my head and reached then hesitantly out for her hand, prepared that she´d let go of me as soon as she´d feel my scaly skin, but for my surprise she didn´t and dragged me back out.

"I´m sorry that I terrified you, but I saw you sitting there and thought that I should say hello…"

Her voice was soft and she didn´t seem to be scared of my appearance, so that I just stood there and had a dumfounded look.

"Is something wrong? Do I have something in my face?"

She asked while laying her hand on her face, obviously believing that she looked strange.

"No, it is just uhm, aren´t you wondering about my appearance?"

Her blue eyes examined me, but she just shrugged and shook her head.

"No, actually not…"

My mouth stood a bit open when she said that, but she then raised a brow.

"Do others wonder about it?"

"Yes, they´re most likely afraid of it…"

"Then I assume you´re not from here, am I right?"

I nodded, while she smiled at me.

""Well, I can assure you that nobody will fear you here. By the way, my name is Chiasa and yours?"

"I´m Kabuto…"

_Wow, she really isn´t afraid of me, I can´t believe it! Seems like I´ve found the place I was looking for…_

"So Kabuto, what brings you here to the Northern Kingdom?"

"I was looking for a Lord, who is known to have pale skin and golden eyes, do you know where I could find him?"

She giggled slightly and explained:

"I guess you mean Lord Orochimaru. Listen I work as a Maid at his Castle, so how about I bring you there and let you meet him?"

"That´d be great!"

"Fine, then follow me…"


	6. Lord Orochimaru

**Chapter 6 ~ Lord Orochimaru**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Chiasa guided me through the Forest, while I had a few questions about Orochimaru, which she was able to answer. She told me that he came to the Northern Kingdom 30 years ago, when a big War was ongoing, and that he showed so much tactician skills and was even able to fight, that they made him their Lord, and since then he´s quiet popular within his Kingdom. _Well, then I guess he is a nice person…_

We had been walking for a whole while, until we reached a huge castle, made of greyish bricks. Chiasa and I stood in front of the door, she then knocking on it and a little slit opened where two eyes were squinting out.

"Who is there?"

"Chiasa the Maid…"

The door opened and I walked hesitantly beside her through it, while I felt how I became even more nervous. As we were inside of the Castle, we walked through a nearly endless long hallway, which was dimly lit up from some candles. On the floor laid red Carpet and on the walls hung several kinds of pictures, most likely Snakes. It appeared a bit scary, but I tried to suppress this thought, since I had to concentrate on something else.

After walking for a whole while, we stood in front of a door, which she opened then and dragged me on my arm with her inside. It was something like an office and on the other side of the room stood a desk, where a man with silky black hair sat at. When we stood in front of him, he looked at Chiasa, who bowed down and said:

"I´m sorry for interrupting you Lord Orochimaru, but this young man here needed to talk with you…"

Now he looked at me with his golden eyes and they widened a bit as he seemed to notice my appearance.

"Chiasa may you leave us alone for a moment."

"Sure…"

She went outside, while Orochimaru placed himself in front of me, took the hood down from my head and examined obviously every inch of my face. In the end he smirked lightly at me and asked:

"What is your name?"

"Kabuto…"

"Well Kabuto, what brings you here to the Northern Kingdom?"

I told him about my matter of concern and he nodded in understanding after I was done.

"I see, so you´re looking for a place to stay where you´re not judged because of your not so common appearance if I get this right…"

"Yes, that´s exactly what I want…"

"Hmm I may could help you with this problem, but before I do this, I need you to do something for me…"

His smirk grew a bit wider, while I gave him a lightly questioning look.

"With what could I help you?"

"As you obviously have noticed aren´t there many of our kind, I mean people with a lightly snakelike appearance and I always had the intentions to change this, but sadly died my wife too early and so she was just able to bear me a beautiful daughter. So what I want you to do is to marry my daughter and give birth to some children…"

"What?!"

Shocked I looked at him, but he just continued:

"See it like this, we both would be happy, you because you and your Mother could finally stay somewhere without getting bothered by others and I because our kind won´t become extinct. So it´s a win-win situation, don´t you think so?"

I thought about what he said and he probably was right, but then again I didn´t even know his daughter nor was I in love with her.

"If you´re thinking about my dear daughter, then I can tell you that every other boy would kill to marry her, since she´s the most beautiful girl in the whole country, so it should be an honor for you…"

A few minutes passed in silence, while I had to get my thoughts in order, until Orochimaru asked:

"So are you willing to do it or not?"

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I´m afraid I can´t allow you to stay…"

_What should I do now? If I refuse then nothing will change and Mother has to live with me as a burden, but is it really okay to marry a total stranger? I guess I have no other choice, for the sake of my beloved Mother…_

"Fine, I´ll marry your daughter…"

"Wise decision…"

Doubtful I looked to the ground and hoped that I wouldn´t regret my decision afterwards. Orochimaru had a satisfied smile on his face and called then for Chiasa to come back.

"Show our guest a room to stay and give him some decent clothes…"

"Yes Lord Orochimaru…"

Then he looked at me and said:

"You´ll meet my daughter tonight during dinner, until then rest for a bit…"

I followed Chiasa back out of the room and we walked up some stairs, while she asked:

"And, what did you talk about?"

Gulping I said:

"That I´m going to marry his daughter…"

She stopped walking with a bewildered expression on her face.

"You should marry Lady Masami?"

Nodding I looked to the ground, while she said:

"Well, you´re probably lucky to marry a girl like her, though it´s in my opinion a bit too early for an engagement…"

We continued our way and reached then another room, which was, in my opinion, just awesome. It was large, 4 times larger than my room at home, with a king sized bed, a huge window from which I could look into a beautiful garden outside, a small lounge, a large closet and my own bathroom, in which a vast bathtub stood in and the floor was tiled with white tiles. _Wow…_

Chiasa went to the closet, looking for something inside and gave me then a white shirt, black pants and a black blazer.

"If you need something else I´m living in the room across from this one, so just knock on the door and ask me if there´s something you need help with…"

With a bright smile she looked at me, while I also smiled and nodded:

"Thank you Chiasa…"

"You´re welcome…"

She left the room, while I let myself fall down on the cozy bed, closing my eyes and letting out a loud sigh. _God, what have I just done…?_


	7. Dinner

**Chapter 7 ~ Dinner**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

"Kabuto…?"

I felt how somebody was shaking me and opened then lightly my eyes, being surprised when I looked into ocean blue orbs.

"Hmm…?"

Still sleepy, I gave her a questioning gaze, but she giggled slightly and explained:

"You have to prepare yourself for dinner, did you forget that already?"

Just now I realized where exactly I was at and what had happened a few hours ago. In shock I jumped up from the bed, but Chiasa pressed me back down and smiled.

"Don´t worry, you still got plenty of time, but I just wanted to see if you´re fine…"

"Oh, I- uhm, thank you…"

Chiasa´s expression suddenly changed into something like worry, and she laid her hand on my forehead, making me blush a bit.

"Hmmm, oh alright I though you got fever, but seems like I was wrong…"

As she seemed to notice my shy expression, she giggled a bit and said:

"I´m sorry, I´m always so briskly…"

"This isn´t something bad…"

I mumbled more to myself, while she then asked:

"How about I prepare you a bath? You seem to be a bit stressed, so this could relax you a little bit…"

"Mhm, sounds nice, but you don´t have to do it, I believe I can prepare a bath myself…"

With a light smirk I winked at her, while she ruffled playfully through my hair and smirked as well.

"The first one who is a bit independently in here…"

After she had left again, I went into the bathroom and prepared the bath, took my clothes off and sat down into the large bathtub. Totally relaxed I closed my eyes and started thinking about tonight's dinner and the meeting with my _fiancé. I wonder if she´s nice and really as beautiful as Orochimaru has told me…_

* * *

An hour later, I went back outside and started to dress myself in the clothes Chiasa gave me. It didn´t look bad, not at all, but it felt a bit unfamiliar, since I most likely wore "normal" clothes. When I stood in front of the Mirror and examined my reflection, I thought if I should do something with my hair, since it some kind of appeared messy and brushed it then with a brush back, so that my bangs were out of my face.

"You know, I liked it better before…"

Terrified I turned to the door, where Chiasa stood on the door frame with a light smirk on her lips.

"Do you think so?"

Nodding she walked closer to me and ruffled again through my hair, but this time just to make it look like before.

"That´s better, I bet Lady Masami will like it as well…"

With a slight blush spread across my face, I asked:

"Say, is she a nice girl?"

"Hmm, yes she is and beautiful into the bargain…"

"I see…"

She suddenly looked at the clock which hung on the wall and said:

"It´s time for dinner, I´ll bring you to the dining hall…"

"Yes…"

Nervously I walked behind Chiasa through the hallway, down the stairs and further until we reached a huge room, in which a very large table stood in. At the table's end sat Orochimaru and beside him on the right sat obviously his daughter. When they saw me coming through the door, they stood both up, Orochimaru wearing again a smirk on his lips, while his daughter just smiled friendly at me. She really was beautiful, with her silky black hair which nearly reached the ground, her golden eyes and the violet dress she wore.

"Kabuto, may I introduce you now to my wonderful daughter Masami."

She held her hand out, while I grabbed it and shook it, what was probably wrong since they both seemed a bit confused about my gesture. _Should I´ve kissed it?_

Afterwards we sat at the table and ate, while I had to admit that the food they served there was very luxurious as well as everything else there. There were several kinds of meat which were served, a whole bunch of vegetables, rice, noodles and a delicious Chocolate Cake as dessert. I was after the dinner so full, that I feared I couldn´t eat anything else for the rest of the week.

Masami had then a lot of questions for me, most likely how my life was at the Village I lived and so on. I told her about it and in the end she gave me a pitiful glance while saying:

"You poor boy, you had to go through so much just because of such scum…"

It made me feel some kind of uneasy that she had so much compassion for me, not at least because I didn´t want to appear like a victim. Some time later, it had already become dark outside, we all went back to our rooms and as soon as I had reached mine, I sank down on my bed and massaged my temples. _Masami really is a nice girl, without any doubts, but it is some kind of strange to think about her as my future wife…_

Sighing I changed my clothes into something more comfortable and wanted to go to bed, as I suddenly heard somebody knocking on the door.

"Yes?"

The door opened and Chiasa stood then in my room, with a lightly nervous smile on her lips.

"I- I was just curious, how was the dinner? Do you like Lady Masami?"

A bit bewildered I replied:

"Uhm the dinner was nice and Masami is a nice girl as well…"

"I see, well I´m glad that you like her…"

She responded with a bright smile and turned then again to leave, while she said:

"Good night Kabuto…"

"Good night…"

I replied quietly and after she was gone, I scratched confused my head. _What was that? Did she really care for it or did maybe Masami nor Orochimaru send her to ask this?_

I decided to let it be for the moment and laid then down into my bed, while I thought about what would await me tomorrow. _Well, hopefully I´ll somehow fall in love with Masami…_

* * *

**[A/N: Hey guys, I just wanted to thank everybody who´s reading this Story, and thanks to imugly for being my first reviewer, I´ll try to make the Chapters a bit longer in the Future :D ]**


	8. Flowers

**Chapter 8 ~ Flowers**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

A few days had been passed since I lived now at Orochimaru´s castle, but I still didn´t get used to the live there, the behavior nor my fiancé. It wasn´t as if I disliked her, what I definitely didn´t, but I just couldn´t find myself fallen for her, what made it hard for me to accept the fact that she´d be my future wife. _Honestly I always believed if there would exist a girl who´d want to marry me, that I´d also want to marry her and love her with all my heart, but maybe this is just daydreaming…_

Since I didn´t really have anything to do at that Castle, I spend most of the time outside in the large, beautiful garden, where I either just enjoyed the nice weather and the nature, nor I took a nap under a shady tree. Today was one of those days, where I just laid lazy under a tree, with my arms crossed behind my head so that I could used them as a pillow and listened to the chirping of the birds. I nearly dozed off, but suddenly I felt somebody poking me on my belly and opened a bit sleepy one eye, just to see Chiasa kneeling in front of me with a grin on her face.

"You shouldn´t sleep so much, you know…"

Yawning I replied:

"It´s boring here, so what else should I do?"

"Why don´t you share some time with Lady Masami?"

I sat up and gazed into her ocean blue orbs, while I responded:

"I- I don´t really know what to do with her…"

She tilted her head and asked:

"Really? Is she your first girlfriend, or more fiancé?"

Nodding I sighed lightly and Chiasa smiled at me.

"Well, why don´t you cull some flowers and surprise her with them?"

"That´s actually a good idea…"

"Great!"

Without any hesitation she grabbed my hands and pulled me back up, while I blushed again, due to the sudden contact. _I really have to stop being so shy around her, especially because I don´t even know why I am…_

We went then together to one of the plots, on which several kinds of flowers were blooming like, roses, tulips and many more in the variety of colors. I started picking up the ones which I found the most beautiful, while Chiasa stood beside me and watched me with this charming smile of hers.

After a while, I was done and showed her proudly the nice bunch of flowers I had created.

"I bet she´ll love them!"

Said Chiasa cheerfully and I nodded in agreement with a smile on my lips. My sight fell suddenly on a single flower, which I obviously didn´t recognize, even though it was really beautiful. It was a bright yellow tulip, which I picked up as well and held it with a gentle smile towards Chiasa, who gave me a lightly questioning look.

"It´s for you, since you´re always so nice and helpful towards me…"

A slight blush spread across her cheeks, while she grabbed it and smiled brightly.

"Thank you!"

Afterwards she brought me to Masami´s room, where I knocked on the door and waited for her to ask me in. When she did, I opened it carefully and went inside, while Masami sat in front of her mirror and brushed her long black hair. When she saw me, she smiled and stood up, while I said then with a light smile:

"Here they´re for you…"

I gave them to her, while she examined them and for a short second I could swear turned her smile into an either annoyed nor disgusted one, but I was probably wrong, since she gave me a bright smile and replied:

"They´re wonderful, thank you very much!"

All of a sudden she laid her arms around me and pressed me quiet tight, while I did the same, but still, there was no reaction from my side except that I blushed a bit. _My heart, shouldn´t it be pounding faster or show any other reaction?_

A bit later I left her room again and let out a lightly despaired sigh. _Will my feelings towards her ever change? I really don´t know it…_

* * *

Chiasa´s P.O.V

After I was done with my tasks and with the Housework, I went to Masami´s room to ask if she needed something and because I was curious if she liked the Flowers Kabuto gave to her. _I bet she did, they were really beautiful and he put so much effort in that…_

When I was inside of her room, I examined if there were flowers anywhere, but no sign from them. Masami sat on her bed and asked me then to come closer, what I did, while she said:

"Oh Chiasa, my fiancé really is a nice boy, don´t you think so?"

"Yes, he is indeed…"

"Just sad that he is so naive and a bit rustic…"

She shook her head as if she was disappointed, while I frowned a little bit and asked:

"Why is that Lady Masami? I found him well behaved and gentle…"

Her golden eyes gave me a glance, before she continued:

"Maybe for you he seems like this, because you´re not a royal and you just know bumpkins from the Village, but he really needs to learn a lot before he can call himself my future husband."

"What would that be?"

"A few things, but none of your business."

A little bit scornful she gazed at me, but I was used to her sometimes arrogant behavior, so that I just stood there and smiled as usual. Her lips turned all of a sudden into a smirk as she asked:

"Say Chiasa, have you ever been in love with someone?"

Nervously I scratched the back of my head, while responding:

"Actually not, I guess…"

"Hmm, why is that?"

Her eyes had a lightly malicious glance inside, but I just continued:

"I just didn´t meet the right young man yet, that is all…"

"Oh I see, but I thought the whole time this would be because of your lack of beauty and intelligence, well maybe I was wrong…"

She started laughing, while I faked some laughers as well, until she said:

"It was just fun…"

I bowed slightly down and replied:

"I know Milady…"

"Very well, you´re dismissed, but please take that garbage from my table with you…"

Obedient I walked towards her table, but was then slightly shocked as I saw Kabuto´s flowers laying there, nearly completely withered, so that I asked hesitantly:

"Lady Masami, are you sure you want me to dispose them?"

An annoyed sigh came from her direction, while she replied:

"Yes, I dislike every kind of Flower except Orchids, so I don´t need them here in my room."

"A- Alright…"

I grabbed the withered flowers and left her room, while I thought that Kabuto would be more than disappointed if he´d see that. _He should never find out about that or he´d be hurt…_

A little bit lost in my thoughts I walked through the endless long hallway, as I suddenly heard somebody behind me calling:

"Chiasa! Wait a Minute!"

Lightly terrified I turned around and was then shocked when I saw that it was Kabuto. _Oh no, I have to hide the Flowers but w-_

He already stood in front of me, his gaze immediately falling on the dried out flowers I held in my hand. The look he had then in his eyes nearly broke my heart and his voice was very quiet when he said:

"I see, so she didn´t like them…"

"No, it´s not like you think!"

My thoughts were quiet in a mess as I tried to find a good explanation why Masami couldn´t keep the flowers so that it wouldn´t make him sad. All of a sudden I got an idea and said:

"She´s allergic against Flowers, that´s why she couldn´t keep them…"

"And why are they withered?"

I bite my tongue and responded:

"That´s my fault to be honest. She asked me to bring her a vase, but unfortunately I forgot it and well, I´m really sorry…"

Luckily he believed me and gave me a light smile.

"If that´s the case then it´s okay, I don´t want her to feel sick just because of my Flowers…"

"Yes…"

I also forced myself to smile, though I disliked it that I had to lie to him, since I really liked him. _Well, everything for the sake of your Majesty…_

* * *

**[A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter as well and thank you Dreams-Wishes-Hopes for your nice Reviews, I´m glad that you´re enjoying this story! :D]**


	9. Preparations

**Chapter 9 ~ Preparations**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Thoughtfully I sat inside of my room on the large bed, while I thought about the conversation I had a few hours ago with Orochimaru. He told me that there would be a magnificent Ball in two days, where some other Royals would show up as well, but the most important thing was that he wanted to unveil my engagement with Masami. Of course I knew that sooner or later it would be announced, but still, I had so many doubts inside of me. _Well, at least he also told me that he´d send somebody who´d bring Mother here and I´m glad when I can finally see her again…_

I took my glasses off while I rubbed my eyes and wished for somebody I could talk to about my doubts, somebody who wouldn´t judge me because I agreed with a marriage which I didn´t want to happen. _If Mother would be here I could talk to her, she´d understand my dilemma…_

Desperately sighing, I let myself fall back down on the cozy mattress and hoped that everything would be over very soon. If I was honest to myself, then I´d have liked to cancel this whole thing, but I couldn´t, I knew I couldn´t for the sake of Mother and my own. Deciding that I had no use to complain about my rather foolish decision, I stood back up and wanted to walk out of my room, but when I opened the door, bumped accidentally somebody on me. She lost her balance and fell then down to the ground, while I gave Chiasa an apologizing glance and said as I held out my hand:"I´m sorry, I didn´t pay any attention when I walked outside…"

Smiling as ususal she grabbed my hand and I pulled her back up on her feet, while she replied:

"It´s alright, such things can happen, but where are you going?"

Shrugging I gazed into her blue eyes, her having suddenly a lighly thoughtful expression on her face, until she asked:

"You didn´t see the Village by now, did you?"

"No…"

"Do you want to accompany me then? I have to go food shopping and buy some other things we need for the ball, so what are you saying?"

"Sure, sounds nice…"

At least I´d maybe have a little distraction from my problems, beside that I really liked to share my time with her. Since I had nobody at my age when I was younger, it was nice to know that she actually seemed to enjoy being with me as well.

A bit later, were Chiasa and I walking through the quiet huge Village, where she went into several shops while I examined the surroundings and the people who walked past me. It was some kind of unfamiliar for me that the people didn´t look at me as if I was a poisoned insect they had to kill, but that they greeted me friendly and smiled at me as if I was a normal person. _It feels so good…_

As Chiasa came back out from the shop, holding some heavy bags in her hands, I grabbed me the most of them, while she said a bit nervously:

"Y- You don´t have to help me, you´re a guest of Lord Orochimaru and Lady Masami, so you shouldn´t have to do any work…"

I tilted my head slightly as I replied:

"Is that so? I don´t see a problem with it that I help you carry those bags, beside that I´m doing it at my free will…"

First her eyes were still filled with doubts, but then she smiled at me and thanked me for my nice gesture.

"Say Kabuto, do you mind if we take a little stop at my old home?"

"No, I don´t…"

We walked for a whole while, through the Village and then partly through the forest, until we had reached a little house, which appeared quiet old. The wood which it was made of splintered and was seemingly affected from the weather, like rain nor snow. As we entered then the house, was the first thing I noticed the some kind of warm atmosphere inside, since at the castle it was most likely cold. _Reminds me somehow of my own home…_

In the end we stood inside of a small but comfortable living room, in which a red sofa stood in, as well as a wooden table and a medium regal. On the sofa sat a middle aged women, with short blonde greyish hair and the same ocean blue eyes as Chiasa. When she saw us, a friendly welcoming smile appeared on her lips and she stood up, walking directly to Chiasa and pulling her into a tight hug, while saying:

"Oh dear, I missed you so much, how long has it been since I last saw you? Weeks or maybe even months?"

"I´m sorry Mother, but I had a lot to do in the last time…"

Lightly sighing her mother let go of her, while she then gazed curiously at me and asked:

"Who is this young man you brought with you Chiasa?"

"That´s Kabuto, he´s a guest at Lord Orochimaru´s castle and he helped me going food shopping…"

"Oh I see, well then pleased to meet you Kabuto!"

It was obvious that those two were Mother and Daughter, since they had the same nice smile and the same aura of happiness and warmth surrounding them. Also smiling I shook hands with her Mother, while I said:

"The pleasure is all mine Ma´m…"

An hour passed, while Chiasa´s mother served us tea and cookies, but as Chiasa suddenly glanced at the clock, she stood up and gave her mother and apologizing gaze.

"We have to go now, I have to prepare some things for the Ball, but I promise I´ll come and visit you as soon as possible!"

"Alright…"

We said goodbye to her Mother and made then out way back to the Castle, while I asked Chiasa:

"How did you become a Maid at Orochimaru´s castle?"

She shortly looked into my eyes, before she sighed and replied:

"Well, before a few years became my Mother sick, but we didn´t have the money to buy her the Medicine she needed, so that I searched desperately for a job. In the end I was hired as a Maid and got so the Money we needed…"

"I see, and are you happy with this job?"

"Yes, I am…"

Though she was smiling, I could´ve sworn I heard something like sadness nor sorrow in her voice. _Is she maybe not as happy as se says and acts?_

A few hours later, as we were already back at the Castle, I went to Masami´s room, since I still had the hope I could find myself fallen for her all of a sudden. She asked me in when I knocked on the door, and as I walked inside, I saw her sitting on her bed with a bright smile on her lips.

"What brings you here Kabuto?"

"Oh uhm, I just wanted to share some time with you, to be honest…"

Obviously happy about my statement, she asked me to sit down beside her on the bed, where she then grabbed my hand and held it tightly. We sat there then for a whole while, she talking about several things, until she suddenly stopped and gazed with her golden eyes in mine. I became nervous when I saw her face coming closer to mine and slightly panicked inside. _She isn´t going to… or is she?!_

Her lips were just inches away from mine, but before she could kiss me, I turned my cheek to her so that she could just kiss me there. A bit bewildered she glanced at me, while I replied as calm as I could:

"I- I never had a girlfriend and so I never kissed a girl before, so I´m rather nervous now…"

"Hmm, it´s alright, I mean we´ll share the rest of our live together, so I can wait until you feel ready, I guess…"

Maybe it was just my imagination at this point, but the undertone in her voice sounded more than annoyed. After a few Minutes I excused myself and went then back outside into the hallway, where I wiped above my forehead and sighed. _That was a close call, but sooner or later I´ll have to fulfill my duty as her man and not just when it comes to kissing…_

Being lost in my thoughts, I walked through the hallway, until I heard something like Music coming from the inside of a room and walked a bit curiously inside. It was a huge room, with large windows on the walls, an exit to the garden outside and a glimmering chandelier on the ceiling. I assumed that this was the room where the Ball would take place in, as I suddenly caught sight of the small Orchestra which stood at the right side of the room, obviously preparing themselves for the formal. They played a quiet nice song, so that I just stood there and listened to the music, until I felt a hand laying on my shoulder and turned lightly terrified around.

"C- Chiasa…"

Giggling she said:

"You should learn not to be so skittish, by the way what are you doing?"

"I just listened a bit to the Music…"

"And, do you like it?"

"Yes, though I have no real idea how to dance…"

"Well, do you want me to show it to you then?"

Confused I asked:

"Really?"

"Yes, sure!"

So we stood then in the middle of the room, where she first showed me the right position by grabbing my hands and placing one of them around her waist, on her back, while she held the other one still in hers. Blushed, I watched as she laid her other hand on my shoulder and smiled then while she explained:

"Fine, and now let me teach you the steps…"

It took a while, but in the end I finally got it and we were floating over the dance floor, while we held eye contact the whole time. Gazing into her beautiful ocean blue orbs which had a soft glance inside, gave me a strange feeling inside, but it didn´t feel bad, on the contrary. I tried to suppress it, but only until she suddenly stopped and asked:

"Do you also want to know how you should dance with Lady Masami?"

Nodding, my head turned into a scarlet color as there was no distance between our body's and she leaned her head on my chest. She then said:

"Now dance like before, but you have to guide me with you, okay?"

Unable to speak, I just did as she said and we danced close entangled with each other, my heart pounding so fast that I feared she could probably hear it. _W- What is this? My heart, why is it reacting like this?_

Some minutes later, we parted from each other and she clapped as she exclaimed:

"You were really good!"

"T- Thank you…"

Afterwards she went away again, while I walked also back to my room, with my hand resting on m chest. _It´s still pounding quickly, but what is that supposed to mean? Why am I like this with Chiasa as if I was- No! It can´t be! I´m engaged, I´ll marry Lady Masami and I´ll fall in love with her! But why did it then feel so right to be close to her?_


	10. The Ball

**Chapter 10 ~ The Ball**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The other two days passed by rather quickly, so that the night of the ball was closer than I wished it to be. After those confusing feelings I had after that dance with Chiasa, I had even more doubts inside of me, not only because of the marriage, but also because of her. My head told me that it had no use to think about her, that it wouldn´t change anything even if I was in love with her, because I already belonged to Masami, whom I´d marry soon, but my heart told me otherwise, it told me to admit my foolish feelings towards Chiasa and that it´d make me happier if I would. This inner conflict confused me even more and I didn´t know what to do anymore. _What if my heart is right? What if my future would be brighter with Chiasa? But I can´t have a bright future if I have to return to my old home, so isn´t it wiser to marry Masami? _

My head started aching, due to all those thoughts, but honestly, what was I supposed to do now except accepting my fate and marrying Orochimaru´s daughter. _It might not make me happy, but it´s the best, I guess…_

The sun was already setting outside and I became more and more nervous, especially because there also would be so many other people there, whose eyes would all look at me after the announcement. Sighing I stood in front of the large closet, but was rather aimless about my outfit for the formal. _I could need some help with this…_

All of a sudden knocked somebody on my door and as if somebody had been answered to my prayers, came Chiasa into the room and asked if I needed something to prepare me for the ball.

"Well, could you help me looking for some decent clothes?"

"Of course!"

Immediately she stood in front of the closet, obviously searching for the right things, while I watched her with a slight blush spread across my cheeks. _Stop that! You can´t feel about her this way and you know that!_

"How about this?"

She showed me a black suit, with a violet-blue shirt for underneath and a black tie. It maybe wasn´t something extravagant, but sartorially and simple, what I most likely appreciated. With a light smile I said:

"Yes, that´s perfect, thank you Chiasa…"

"You´re welcome, do you need anything else?"

"Actually not…"

She was about to go again, but I stopped her as a question popped up in my mind.

"Are you going to be at the Ball as well?"

Frowning she gazed at me and explained:

"Just to serve along the other Maids and Butlers, but why do you ask?"

While glancing to the ground I replied:

"I was just curious…"

Suddenly I felt how she laid gently her hand on my arm, while looking at me with a lightly worried look and asked:

"Is there maybe something else? Are you nervous because of the formal?"

For a second I was lost in her blue eyes, but then I answered:

"A little bit, but don´t bother yourself with my problems…"

"Your problems aren´t bothering me, we´re friends and I´m there if you need my help or comfort…"

My heart was beating faster again, due to her kind words and I nodded while smiling at her.

"Thanks for your care, but I´m really just a bit nervous, that is all…"

"I see, well if there is anything else you can ask me for help, alright?"

"Yes…"

After she was gone, I sighed heavily and thought that even if I had such kind of feelings towards her, that she´d probably never see me as more than her friend. With a sad smile on my lips, I tried to convince myself that it was better like that, since I didn´t need to have any hopes that I would ever be together with her, but still, a part of me wished for it, no matter how hard I tried to suppress it.

* * *

An hour later I was done with taking a bath, dressing and doing my hair, though it still appeared somewhat unkempt. I examined my reflection in the Mirror and though I looked still the same, something inside of me was different than before I arrived here. _I assume it is the fact that I´m torn between two girls, though one of them doesn´t even know about my feelings and most likely doesn´t return them…_

It was already time for the Ball, so that I went nervously to the room in which it was held in. The room really looked splendid and there already were some of Orochimaru´s guests there, standing around and talking with each other. Trying not to attract too much attention, I approached quietly Orochimaru, who was dressed in a purple suit, with a bluish shirt underneath and a black tie. When he saw me, he smirked lightly and introduced me then to the people he was currently talking to.

They were quiet friendly to me and asked me out about a few things, but Orochimaru most likely answered those questions, so that I just stood there and got bored. A bit later, became everybody suddenly silent and as I looked to the door, I knew why. Masami walked with her head held high and a small smile on her lips through the door, her long hair being adorned with sparkling hair clips. Her dress also was spectacular, it was gold shimmering, as if it was made out of real gold, while it was a bit tighter above the waist. Some people in the room gasped when they saw her, since she was most likely the most beautiful woman in the room, but though she was pretty, I couldn´t find as much enthusiasm towards her as I should have as her future husband. _I can do that, she is wonderful, why can´t I fall in love with her?_

As she stood in front of me, she gave me a bright smile and I smiled back, while I said:

"You look really beautiful…"

"Thank you…"

Orochimaru suddenly laid one hand on mine and the other one on Masami´s shoulder, while he cleared his throat loudly to get everybody´s attention. Everybody gazed curiously at us, what gave me a lightly uneasy feeling inside, while Orochimaru then said:

"Everybody, I´m grateful for your numerous appearance, because tonight I have to make an important announcement. My wonderful daughter Masami will marry very soon, in fact this young man here on my right Kabuto."

Everybody was clapping at his statement, while I gulped and felt lightly anxious inside. He then continued:

"Anyways, I hope you will enjoy this Ball and celebrate this engagement as well."

A whole bunch of people came then to me and Masami, to tell us their congratulations and what a cute couple we were. When they were done, started the Music and the most of them went to the dance floor, while my future wife gave me a glance which should tell me that she expected me to ask her for a dance as well, what I did then.

* * *

We danced for a whole while quiet tight together, but I didn´t have nearly as much of a good feeling as I had when I danced with Chiasa. Masami was beautiful, there were no doubts about that and she was nice as well, but at that moment, when I glanced into her golden eyes, it finally hit me. I could never feel love towards her nor could I give my heart to her, because it belonged already to somebody else, somebody I really fell in love with.

My mind was empty during the whole dance and as we were finally done, I just wanted to go away from all those people, from Masami, Orochimaru and everybody else. Masami turned after a while away from me and started talking with some other young women, while I used this chance and went outside in the garden, where I at least would´ve some silence. I walked and walked, until I reached a fountain, made out of white marble and with a sculpture of a couple on top where the water came out. Quietly I sat down on the edge of it, while I desperately clapped my hands in front of my eyes. _I´ll never love Masami, never, but I have to marry her, I have no other choice!_


	11. Shooting Star

**Chapter 11 ~ Shooting Star**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I didn´t know how much time passed since I left the Ball, maybe a few minutes or a few hours, but I didn´t pay any attention to it. Now that I knew that I could never love my wife no matter how hard I´d try, everything seemed suddenly so dark. _What kind of future would that be, especially when I have to make children with her? How can I share the rest of my life with a woman I do not love, when the one I love is beside me all the time?_

Saddened about my own stupid decision, I glanced into the distance, but was lightly terrified as suddenly somebody asked:

"Are you okay?"

I didn´t even need to turn my head and knew who this voice belonged to. Her ocean blue orbs gazed worried at me, but I just sighed and turned away from her, not willing to show her how despaired I was. She sat quietly down beside me and laid then her hand on my leg, so that I faced her again.

"Did something happen at the formal?"

Slowly I shook my head, but she didn´t seem to believe me and sighed.

"It´s okay, you don´t have to tell me about it…"

We remained in silence for a whole while, just a few crickets were heard and the water of the fountain, until Chiasa suddenly said:

"The sky looks very beautiful tonight, doesn´t it?"

A bit bewildered about the choice of her topic, I glanced up to the sky, but had then to admit that it was really beautiful. The Moon shone brightly and the stars were blinking, it was something like a perfect picture if you could call it like this. My gaze wandered then shortly to Chiasa, who looked smiling up to the sky, while I couldn´t help but to smile lightly as well. _It´s strange how only her presence can make me smile…_

A few minutes passed, with us still looking up to the Night sky, as I suddenly saw a Shooting star and heard then Chiasa asking:

"Did you see that?!"

"Yes…"

She turned to me, something like excitement sparkling in her eyes and asked:

"Is there something you wished for?"

A decent blush appeared on my face, but she didn´t see it because of the darkness and I replied:

"N- No…"

With her head tilted she looked at me, but I tried to avoid eye contact with her and glanced to the other side.

"Is there really nothing you wish for? Something you always dreamed of maybe nor something you wish to come true?"

Sighing I shook my head and responded:

"I don´t believe the wish I have would come true, since it never worked…"

"You already wished for something from a Shooting star?"

"Yes, when I was younger I once saw one and wished for a normal life. I wished that I would be like everybody else and that people would be able to like me, but it didn´t work, it became even worser…"

I hide my eyes behind my bangs, since the remembrance of those awful days which I had during my childhood always made me sad, but Chiasa said then:

"I wouldn´t want you to be different Kabuto, you´re perfect just the way you are…"

The confidence in her voice made me look up again, while her facial expression seemed quiet serious. For a short while we just looked at each other, until I asked:

"How could you say that? I´m looking like a Snake, or more like a Monster, I don´t even know what I am, so how could you call me in any way perfect?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, before she replied:

"Your appearance doesn´t matter, it is your personality which I like so much. You´re lovely, helpful, caring and great-hearted, though you´re also lazy sometimes as well, but that isn´t something disturbing. What I want to tell you is that I like you just the way you are and I never saw you as a Monster, no, I always saw you as a good person who had a special look, that was all…"

My eyes widened lightly and her words really touched me, so that I felt tears coming into my eyes. Unable to control myself any longer, I pulled Chiasa into a tight embrace without thinking about any consequences. Tears rolled down my cheeks, but I smiled, since I held the girl I loved in my arms. She suddenly returned the hug and wrapped her arms tightly around my torso, while she whispered:

"Please don´t cry…"

For a while we remained like this, until she pulled away and gave me a sorrowful look.

"I´m sorry if I said something wrong…"

Immediately I shook my head and replied:

"No, you didn´t say anything wrong, on the contrary, this was probably one of the most wonderful things somebody ever told to me…"

She seemed surprised, but smiled now lightly as well, while I wiped my tears away. A few more minutes passed, until Chiasa stood up and asked:

"Shouldn´t we go back inside? I bet Lady Masami is wondering where you are…"

As she spoke out Masami´s name, I felt a stitch in my heart, when I thought about our weeding which would take place very soon. I gulped and replied hesitantly:

"I- I honestly don´t want to go back there, I´d prefer going into my room…"

She tilted her head, while she asked:

"Why is that? Did you have a conflict with your fiancé?"

"No, I´m just tired, that is all…"

A fake smile appeared on my lips as I tried to make her believe that I really was just tired, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn´t. Luckily she didn´t ask any more questions and said:

"Well then good night, I have to go back inside before I get in trouble with Lord Orochimaru…"

I also wished her a good night and she went away, while I remained sitting there and sighed as I mumbled:

"My wish to be together with you will never come true Chiasa, never…"

* * *

Later on, after I somehow managed to go into my room without getting caught, I collapsed on the bed and buried my head in the pillow. Some time later, I nearly had dozed off, I heard how the door opened quietly, but tried to make the person who came in believe that I was sleeping, since I didn´t feel like talking. I was waiting that I´d hear the door close again, but instead I felt how somebody sat down on my bed and heaved then my head up to see who it was. My eyes widened slightly as I looked into the golden orbs of Masami, who had a displeased glance in her eyes.

"Where have you been gone after the dance? You were missed the whole time…"

Quietly I replied:

"I didn´t feel so well and took a walk outside in the garden, but I still felt weary so I decided to go to bed…"

The atmosphere in the room felt uneasy, at least for me, so that I hoped this conversation would soon find it´s end. Masami sighed slightly and said:

"As my future husband you should learn how to behave during such festivities or else the people will start to talk and this could harm our good image. Anyways, our wedding will be in 10 days and we still didn´t interact as a couple with each other, so…"

She suddenly leaned closer to me, her face just inches away from mine and I felt again the nervousness inside of me growing. _No, this time you won´t resist! She is right, you and her are a couple and soon husband and wife, so learn to deal with it!_

Her eyes were already closed and she nearly had closed the gap between my and her lips. _You can do that, I know you can! But, why does it give me such a bad feeling?_

* * *

**[A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the little Cliffhanger in the end, but I wanted to make it a bit more exciting if he´ll kiss her this time or not ;) Anyways thanks for reading and thank you Dreams-Wishes-Hopes for your Reviews, I´m glad to hear that you´re enjoying this story ^_^] **


	12. What is wrong and what is right?

**Chapter 12 ~ What is wrong and what is right?**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_No! No, don´t let it happen!_

A voice in my mind yelled the whole time as Masami´s and my lips made slightly contact, but I couldn´t back up, not again. My eyes were open, since I couldn´t find myself enjoying this closeness between us and wished this moment, this kiss, to end soon. A sudden knock on the door made her pull away again and she glanced a bit angered towards the door, while she then said:

"Come in."

As the door went open, walked Orochimaru into the room and as he saw us together, a smirk appeared on his lips.

"I´m sorry my dear, I didn´t want to interrupt you with whatever you were doing, I wanted to talk to your fiancé, but I assume you already did that…"

"Yes father."

Telling us a good night, Orochimaru left again and Masami turned back to me with a smile.

"You see, this wasn´t so bad…"

I forced myself to smile and nodded, but my heart was aching badly and an uneasy feeling went through my body. The fact that I shared a kiss with a girl I barely liked made me feel bad, especially since it seemed like she felt something towards me. _I´m a terrible person…_

Fortunately, she went away shortly after her father, so that I finally had my peace again and could think about my dilemma in silence. I imagined how things would be when Masami and I would be married, when she would await from me that I´d make children with her and how terrible this would be for me. Also I thought about the fact that Chiasa would still be there, always by my side and remembering me that there existed a woman I really loved, but couldn´t tell her nor show her that I did. _I wish I never came here! I´m so stupid, I should´ve known that marrying a stranger was a bad idea, but I thought things would be better here and in the end everything became even more complicated…_

A bit later my tiredness overwhelmed me and I drifted into a deep sleep, but woke quiet early in the morning up again. The sun was already shining, so that I decided to go outside, not into the garden but into the Forest, where I would be alone for the day. Quickly I took a simple black sleeveless shirt on, black pants and my burgundy cloak, and went then silently out of the Castle and into the Forest. The air outside was still a bit chilly, since it was early that day, but I didn´t mind and enjoyed the fresh wind as well as the lightly warm sun beams.

The time went by pretty fast while I wandered around the woods and found myself then at that Lake again, where I first met Chiasa. I couldn´t help but to smile when I thought about our first encounter, how I fell into that lake and how surprised I was when I realized that she didn´t fear me because of my appearance.

Being lost in my thoughts, I was a bit terrified as I suddenly felt something wet on me, and looked then up to the sky, where some dark clouds had appeared. Within a second it started raining, so that I decided that I´d go into the cave which laid behind the waterfall until it´d stop again. So after I made it inside, I sat sighing down on the stony ground, as suddenly something else came into my mind. _Right, Mother is coming as well in a few days. I wonder what she´ll say about my Engagement…_

A bit later, while I leaned on the wall with my eyes closed, I heard all of a sudden steps echoing through the cavity and opened my eyes to see who it was, but was rather surprised as my eyes caught sight of a soaking wet blonde, who shivered all over her body.

"Chiasa?"

I asked while I walked towards her and as she seemed to recognize me as well, she smiled lightly.

"I finally found you…"

A bit bewildered I asked:

"You were looking for me?"

"Yes, Lady Masami send me to look for you, since you were nowhere to be found at the Castle…"

"I see…"

The water was dripping down from her clothes and her hair on the ground, while she seemed to be very cold. Without any hesitation I took my cloak off and held it towards her, with my cheeks slightly blushed.

"Here, before you catch a cold…"

She tilted her head and asked:

"Are you sure? I mean aren´t you cold as well?"

Of course it was way colder without my cloak, but I just smiled lightly and shook my head.

"Unlike you I´m still dry, so it´s no big deal…"

Smiling brightly she accepted it and took it then on, though it was maybe a bit illogical with her wet clothes still underneath. _Well, but she can´t take them off now…_

We sat then beside each other on the ground, silence filling the room for a whole while, until she suddenly asked:

"Why are you here by the way?"

"I wanted to take a walk and well, the rain surprised me so I decided to wait until it´d stop…"

Nodding she suddenly had to sneeze, what sounded more than cute and again appeared a smile on my face. She then started slightly shivering and, without thinking, I laid my arm around her, while pressing her on me. With a perplex expression she looked up to me and asked:

"What are you doing?"

Stuttering I replied:

"W- Well, I thought you were cold, s- so I thought I could share my body heat with you…"

"Don´t you think Lady Masami will be mad at you if she´d see you here like this with another woman?"

Sighing I nodded lightly, but didn´t let go of her, since holding her like this felt quiet well. She still looked at me with confusion in her eyes and I asked suddenly:

"Are you in love with someone?"

I felt how her body became a bit stiff at my question, and she freed herself from my arm to get a better look at me. Her blue orbs gazed into my golden ones, while she responded silently:

"I guess I´m not, but why do you ask?"

A bit nervous I glanced to the ground and said:

"It´s because I- I-"

I knew it would be wrong to tell her about my feelings, it was probably the worst thing I could do, but then on the other hand thought a part inside of me that this would be the right thing to do. _I´m so confused! What is wrong and what is right?!_

Chiasa was still awaiting an answer, while I cupped her cheeks all of a sudden, obviously to her surprise as well as to mine. As I brought my face just inches away from hers, I saw how her eyes widened in shock, but I just whispered:

"I- I can´t control it anymore…"

With this statement I closed the gap between our lips and kissed her softly, while my heart was pounding faster and faster. _It feels so good…_

All of a sudden I felt how Chiasa pushed me forcefully away from her and as I looked into her eyes, I saw shock and anger inside of them. Before I could say anything to explain myself, she had already slapped me hard across the face and I held perplex my cheek, speechless. She stood then up, took my cloak quickly off and yelled:

"You Bastard!"

Shocked I noticed tears running down her face, but she then just ran outside the cave, while I was still sitting on the ground, a feeling of despair growing inside of me. _Oh god, what have I done…_


	13. What do you feel?

**Chapter 13 ~ What do you feel?**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Plagued by my guilty feelings, I went back to the Castle and was prepared that Orochimaru would kick me out immediately, since I assumed Chiasa maybe told him nor Masami about what happened. _I´m such a fool, what did I think when I kissed her out of nowhere…_

As I accidentally bumped into Masami while I walked through the hallway, I was rather surprised when she just asked:

"Where were you? I´ve been looking for you in the whole Castle and even send Chiasa to look for you…"

"I- I took a walk through the Forest, but was surprised from the sudden rainstorm and was waiting inside of a cave until it stopped…"

Nodding she responded:

"Well, you know that we have a large garden, so going into the woods is rather unnecessary…"

"I know…"

Afterwards she told me that she´d like to share some time with me later on, with what I agreed since I had no other choice anyways. When I finally had reached my room, I sat down on my bed and asked myself a bit confused why Chiasa didn´t tell anybody about the kiss. _Maybe she isn´t back at the Castle? _

Since I felt more than bad that I made Chiasa cry, I wanted to apologize to her, so that I went quietly to her room and knocked on the door, but got no response from inside. I knocked again and again, but still no sign from anybody in there, so that I just opened the door carefully and peeked in, where I saw her sitting on the bed, with her back turned to me.

"Chiasa…?"

She remained silent and didn´t even look at me, but I was still determined to apologize and walked a few steps closer to her, while I said:

"Listen, I´m very sorry if I terrified you nor hurt you with what I´ve done and I promise you that it´ll never happen again-"

Suddenly she interrupted me and replied dryly:

"Do you think your apology will make any difference? It doesn´t and now leave my room."

My heart shattered into pieces, but I just turned around and answered:

"Alright…"

Desperately I hit against my wall as I was inside of my room again and felt tears in my eyes. _I´ve not only lost my friend, but also the girl I love…_

Being angry about my own foolishness, I laid down in my bed, with tears of anger and sadness running down my cheeks. I didn´t know how long I laid there, but after a while I dozed off and slept for a whole while, until I suddenly woke up as I felt somebody shaking me slightly. _Oh no, I can´t stand Masami now…_

Silently I remained with my eyes closed laying there, but the person who was there sat down on my bed and continued with nudging me, until I finally heaved my head up and glanced from the corner of my eye at her. My eyes widened lightly as I saw Chiasa, with a look mixed between anger, sorrow and confusion in her blue orbs.

"What are you doing here?"

I asked after a while, wherefore she took a deep breath and replied:

"Honestly I don´t know it myself…"

She glanced down to the ground, while I sat bewildered up and raised a brow, until she continued:

"I didn´t want to slap you, b- but you surprised me with your gesture and I didn´t know what to do anymore…"

For a moment there was just silence between us, as she suddenly turned to me and asked:

"Why did you kiss me Kabuto?"

There was an urgentle look in her eyes and I gulped, before I replied sighing:

"Because I fell in love with you…"

Shocked she gazed at me, but bowed then her head and asked:

"Why? You have a wonderful fiancé who could give you the world, what would you want with me, a simple maid? I can´t give you anything…"

"How could you say that? You gave me so much in that short amount of time I´m here, you gave me the feeling as if I was normal, as if I was just like every other human being on this planet, and for me this is more worth than any material thing Masami could give me…"

There was so much confidence in my voice that I myself was surprised about it, and tears glimmered in her ocean blue eyes as she finally looked me in the eyes again, while she replied with a shaking voice:

"Y- You shouldn´t think like this Kabuto, I can´t give you the live you deserve, with me by your side you wouldn´t be happy, believe me…"

I grabbed her hand gently and smiled lightly, as I responded:

"Believe me when I say that as long as I´d have you by my side, that I don´t mind about anything else, even if other people would still despise me and look at me with scorn, I wouldn´t mind…"

Obviously in shock she just looked at me for a while, before she dragged her hand quickly away and shook her head rapidly, while saying:

"No, this is wrong! You can´t think about me like this, you´re engaged! I- I can´t-"

She clenched her hand into a fist and had seemingly problems to hold her tears back, so that I just asked her:

"Chiasa, what do you feel?"

Her lower lips was shaking, but she remained silent and glanced to the ground, with me still waiting for an answer. Her statements and the way she said those things, I didn´t know why, but it sounded as if she´d fight against her own feelings for me, as if she´d feel also more towards me than she wanted to admit.

I tried to reach out for her hand again, but before I could she already stood up and gave me a short glance, before she said:

"It doesn´t matter what I feel, you´ll marry Lady Masami in a few days and forget about me, it´s the best anyways. You´ll live the life you always dreamed of and I, well, I´ll continue with mine…"

Her voice was filled with pain, even though she tried to hide it as good as she could and before she was gone, I stopped her by placing myself between her and the door. With an urgentle look in my eyes, I said seriously:

"Tell me that you´re in love with me and I´ll leave Masami. I´ll cancle our engagement and leave this Castle with you, though I can´t promise you a good live with me by your side, but I´d try to be a good man for you. You just have to say it…"

We stood just inches away from each other and her mouth opened slightly to give me an answer, but closed again, since she still seemed to have doubts. Hesitantly she said:

"I can´t ask you to do this for me Kabuto…"

Carefully I leaned my forehead on hers and whispered:

"You can…"

For a moment we remained in this position, until she suddenly cupped my cheeks and placed her lips slightly on mine, with tears running down her face. As she parted again from me, she laid her arms tightly around me, pressed her head against my chest and said sobbing:

"I- I like you too Kabuto!"

Smiling I returned the hug and rested my head on hers, while I replied:

"Fine, then I´ll tell Lord Orochimaru tomorrow that I won´t marry his daughter and if he kicks me out, then be it like this…"

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, I hope you liked this Chapter, though it was pretty dramatic lol :D Anyways, thanks for reading and for reviewing!**


	14. Threats

**Chapter 14 ~ Threats**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Determined I walked into the direction of Orochimaru´s room, since I wanted to inform him about my decision to cancel the marriage with Masami. Though I´d maybe lose the chance to live somewhere were people would accept me, I´d get something more important than that, the girl I love by my side.

I became nervous as I had reached the room and knocked then against the door, while hoping that he wouldn´t be too mad about it. _Though I could understand if he would…_

As he asked me to come in, I walked slowly inside, while he was obviously working on some paperwork, but looked up to me as I stood in front of him.

"What can I do for you Kabuto?"

I took a deep breath and replied:

"I´m very thankful that you allowed me to stay here and your daughter really is wonderful, but I can´t marry her."

His golden eyes widened slightly at my words and he asked incredulous:

"Excuse me?"

With my hand clenched into a fist, I said:

"I fell in love with another woman and I want to share my life with her, even if I have to leave your Kingdom in exchange…"

At first he seemed more than shocked, with me just standing there and gazing at him seriously, as he suddenly smirked and snapped his finger. All of a sudden I was grabbed on both arms from behind me and as I turned around, I saw two guards holding tight on me. Orochimaru stood then up and walked towards me, still having this smirk on his lips.

"You didn´t believe it would be that easy to cancel this marriage, did you? I don´t mind if you fell in love with somebody else, we had a deal and I want you to hold your word boy."

He said threatening, while I started struggling to free me from their grip, without any use. Bravely I replied:

"You can´t force me to marry her!"

Sighing he snapped his fingers again, and those rough guards pressed me down on my knees, while Orochimaru grabbed me brutally on my hair. I cried quietly out in pain and he responded:

"You will do what I tell you, or you will regret it Kabuto! Masami and you, you will marry and afterwards give birth to some beautiful children, children which look like us…"

Feeling fear growing inside of me, I asked:

"And if I don´t?"

His smirk grew wider and he dragged me a bit more up on my hair, while replying:

"If you refuse to marry her, then I´ll imprison you in the dungeon until you change your mind again. Oh, and don´t let me forget your dear Mother who´s on the way here. It would be tragic if she´d have an accident on the way nor if she´d have the same fate as you, imprisoned in the dungeon because of her good for nothing son, and we wouldn´t want this to happen, now would we?"

Aghast I stared at him and said:

"Y- You can´t be serious, my mother has absolutely nothing to do with this! You can´t imprison her for nothing!"

"Oh really, can´t I? Shall we test it?"

Shivering I shook my head, while he let finally go of me again and said:

"I hope you know now what you have to do boy, and don´t make me going to make my threats come true, for your own good."

The guards also let go of me and I stood with shaking knees back up, Orochimaru glancing at me before he sat back down at his desk and concentrated again on his work.

"You can leave now."

He said as he recognized me still standing there, and as my feet were moving again, I went immediately back out and felt despair inside of me. _H- He can´t be serious…_

Chiasa´s P.O.V

A bit uneasy I sat inside of my room on my bed, and thought about what had happened yesterday evening. _Maybe it was wrong, maybe I shouldn´t have told him what I felt, but afterwards I felt so relieved…_

The truth was that I had started to develop feelings for him since that day when he gave me this Flower, and they grew even stronger during the following days. That moment when we danced so close together, how we watched the stars together on the evening of the formal and how he embraced me tightly, but after those things I was still able to suppress those feelings somehow, though it was hard, but then when he kissed me, I knew it was over with my self control.

Honestly I was more than happy when he offered me to leave Masami for me and live his life alongside me, but then again I asked myself if he maybe would regret his decision one day. _What if he realizes that being with Lady Masami would´ve been the better choice? What if he´d hate me for that one day?_

Since I started working here for Orochimaru and his daughter, I was very lonely, since except me there were just 3 more Servants, but they were old and didn´t really talk with me that much. In front of my Mother I had always acted happy, and of course before others as well, but in the inside I was sad and wanted a change in my life. This change came with Kabuto, because he was gentle, nice, friendly, lovely and much more towards me, but the most important thing was that he saved me from the terrible loneliness which surrounded me for years. _And that´s why I´d love to go away from here and start a new life with him by my side…_

All of a sudden opened my door and Kabuto walked inside, while I noticed the rather dejected expression on his face. After he sat down beside me on the bed, I asked worriedly:

"What happened?"

With a lightly shaking voice, he replied:

"H- He said if I refuse to marry Masami, then he´d imprison me and my Mother, until I´d change my mind again…"

I saw the pure despair in his eyes, but was myself shocked to hear that Orochimaru would really force him to marry his daughter. Gently I placed my hand on his lap and responded:

"Maybe it´s just our destiny not to be together…"

While I said this I felt a bad stitch in my Heart, since after what had happened between us I couldn´t just continue like nothing ever happened, but maybe I wouldn´t have another choice. Tightly he held then my hand in his, while he shook his head and said firmly:

"We will be together, with or without his permission, we´ll just have to wait until my Mother is there and then we´ll leave this place, all together…"

As I saw the determination in his eyes, I smiled lightly and nodded.

"I hope you´re right…"


	15. Failed Escape

**Chapter 15 ~ Failed Escape**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Smiling I stood on the entrance of the Castle, since I was told that Mother should arrive today, something that made me more than happy. The incident with Orochimaru and his threats towards me after I had told him not to marry his daughter was two days ago and Chiasa and I had come up with an escape plan in that time. She was still a bit hesitant with it though, not at least because she feared to put my and my Mother´s life in danger if the escape would fail, but I convinced her that nothing bad would happen. _Though there is the chance that we get caught…_

However, now I was waiting impatiently for her to arrive, as I suddenly caught sight of a blonde woman, who was escorted by two guards, but could even see from this distance that it must´ve been her. Though I wasn´t a little child anymore, did I feel so much happiness inside that I couldn´t control myself as I started running towards her in a rather fast pace. Just a few seconds later I had reached them and stood panting in front of my Mother, who seemed at first surprised, but laid then her arms tightly around me and said:

"I´m so glad to see you Kabuto, I´ve missed you so much!"

Gently she stroked above my back, while I smiled providential and pressed her a bit tighter on me.

"I missed you too Mother…"

With a bright smile she gazed up to me as she pulled away again and asked curiously:

"How have you been doing since you left?"

We walked beside each other towards the Castle, the guards following us from behind, while I cleared my throat and replied:

"Fine I guess, and you?"

"Good, say why did those two men come to bring me here? When I asked them they said you should tell me personally what the matter is, so?"

Sheepishly I rubbed my neck and responded:

"I- I´ll marry in three days…"

She stopped in her track and gave me an incredulous look, while she asked:

"You´ll what?"

Quietly I said it again and her green eyes glanced at me afterwards.

"Are you insane?! You´re way too young to marry, beside that you know this girl just for a short amount of time! What did you think when you agreed with this?!"

I knew she was right and if I wouldn´t have been such a brainless idiot when I came here I probably would´ve thought the same, but I couldn´t tell her about the changes in my plan, at least not in front of those guards. So I replied:

"Let´s talk about this when we´re at the Castle and alone, alright?"

Sighing she nodded and mumbled:

"I hope your explanation is good though…"

We continued the rest of the way in silence and as we had entered the Palace, she gazed with lightly widened eyes around, examining the pictures which hung on the wall, the ones I found still quiet creepy. In the end we had reached Orochimaru´s office, where I knocked on the door and walked then with Mother beside me in.

Inside we were greeted by Orochimaru and Masami, who had both a rather friendly expression on their faces, while I also saw Chiasa standing there a bit behind them, looking at me for a second before she turned away again.

"You must be Kabuto´s Mother, I assume. It´s really a pleasure to meet you."

Said Orochimaru with a light smirk on his lips and gave her a kiss on the knuckles. _Sly Bastard…_

"The pleasure is all mine…"

She replied smiling and turned then to Masami, who stood beside her father, as usual with her head held high and a lightly arrogant glance in her eyes, but an innocent smile on her face.

"I´m Masami, it´s nice to meet you. I assume Kabuto already told you about our engagement, didn´t he?"

Nodding she replied:

"Yes, it´s also nice to meet you Masami…"

"I´d prefer you´d call me _Lady _Masami."

My jaw nearly dropped as I heard that and Mother also appeared rather confused about this statement, but responded just:

"If you want me to call you like this, it´s no problem…"

Masami still had an innocent expression on her face, but only her words were enough to tell what kind of person she really was, an arrogant, snobby girl. My Mother also had narrowed her eyes lightly, but appeared still rather calm and friendly.

"Chiasa, bring Kabuto´s Mother to her room."

Said Orochimaru, while Chiasa bowed lightly and said:

"Please follow me…"

She smiled nicely at my Mother, who returned it, while we then walked outside into the hallway. As we were far enough away from Orochimaru´s office, my Mother sighed quietly and gave me a short questioning look. As we had reached the room that was prepared for my Mother, turned Chiasa to her and said:

"If you need anything or you have any questions, just ask me, it´ll be a pleasure for me to help you then Mam."

"Thank you Chiasa, and please call me Nonō…"

She smiled again and replied:

"Alright Nonō…"

Before she went away, she bowed lightly again and said goodbye for now, while I became a bit nervous as I thought about telling my Mother the truth. When we entered her room, she gasped as she saw how large it was and turned to me with widened eyes.

"That´s way too big for me! Is yours the same?"

Nodding I replied:

"I assume every room has this size…"

Quietly she sat down on the cozy bed and said:

"Well, I´d like to continue our conversation from before Mister."

Nervously I sat down on the bed beside her, while she continued with a serious look in her eyes:

"Do you really love this girl?"

I was a bit surprised about the question, but answered honestly:

"No, I don´t…"

She frowned a little bit and asked:

"Why would you marry her then?"

I took a deep breath, before I replied:

"It was the conclusion for you and me to stay here, at this Kingdom…"

Shocked and perplex she gazed into my golden eyes and responded:

"But dear, why would you do something like this in return?"

"I- I did this so that we could have a better live here, where people wouldn´t judge about my appearance and about you because you´re my Mother. I know it was stupid and I regret what I did, but I felt guilty for making your life so difficult and thought that this was the only solution…"

I glanced to the ground, while she responded softly:

"Kabuto how could you think you made my life difficult? You´re everything to me and just because others couldn´t see what a wonderful person you are, doesn´t mean that I regret that I raised you, on the contrary. I loved you since the very first day and will until the day I die, because you´re my son…"

"B- But they avoided you all because of me and-"

"I never cared for that, if they couldn´t accept you just the way you are and the fact that I was your Mother, then they didn´t belong in our life anyways…"

A smile appeared on her lips and she hugged me tightly, while she whispered:

"I don´t want to see you unhappy, so let´s cancel your marriage and go back home…"

"Well, that´s not so easy Mother…"

She pulled away again, raised a brow and asked:

"Why?"

"Because I already tried to cancel it, but Orochimaru threatened me that if I´d do that he´d imprison both of us until I´d change my mind again…"

"H- He can´t do that!"

My Mother said indignant, but I just sighed and shook my head.

"He can, and that´s why I already planned our escape…"

She had a worried glance in her eyes, but nodded and replied:

"Alright…"

"But there´s another thing I have to inform you about…"

"So?"

"My decision to cancel the Marriage wasn´t just because of me, but because of another person as well, a girl I really fell in love with…"

"Who is it?"

She asked curiously and I responded:

"Chiasa…"

A bit blushed I gazed at her, but she just smiled and responded:

"Well, I´m just glad that your journey wasn´t for nothing dear…"

"Yes…"

* * *

Later on, after the dinner with Orochimaru and Masami, did my Mother, Chiasa and I meet in her room, where I informed Mother about our plan to escape. She and Chiasa would go now and I´d follow them a bit later.

"I´m don´t want you to stay behind Kabuto, what if they notice that we´re gone?"

Asked Chiasa worriedly, but I replied smiling:

"It´s alright really, I´d prefer that if they caught me that I´d get imprisoned all alone instead of seeing you two get hurt as well…"

"Still, it´s too risky and I don´t get it why you don´t come with us right away…"

"Because-"

She is right dear, you should come with us…"

Interrupted my Mother and placed her hand on my shoulder, while I sighed lightly.

"What if they get suspicious that all three of us leave at the same time? They wouldn´t hesitate imprisoning us right away…"

"Then be it like this…"

She replied smiling and so I agreed defeated to go together with them, though I still believed staying behind would´ve been the better choice.

* * *

During Night, as everything was silent inside of the huge Castle, we tip toed quietly through the hallway towards the exit, my heart pounding so fast that I feared somebody could wake up because of it. However, after a short while we stood in front of the large exit, but for some reason there were no guards, something rather unexpected. _I wonder where they are…_

Chiasa and I mortised with our whole weight the door open and were greeted by the chilly air outside, while I felt a feeling of relieve inside of me. _We nearly made it!_

Since the door was just a little gap wide open, we had to squeezed ourselves outside, as I suddenly heard steps echoing through the hallway. Mother was already outside and Chiasa also had made it, but before I could, had the guards, leaded by a rather furious looking Orochimaru, already reached us. _No, I won´t let them get caught!_

"You can´t escape Kabuto!"

Hissed Orochimaru, while I smirked lightly at him and replied:

"That weren´t my intentions at all…"

With all my strength I closed the door from inside, so that at least those two could get away from here, while I heard both of them desperately calling from outside:

"Kabuto?!"

The guards had grabbed me again on both arms, while Orochimaru said threatening:

"I told you what would happen if you try to escape Kabuto…"

Now he turned to his guards and ordered:

"Bring him in the dungeon, maybe he´ll learn to be more obedient then."

Without any resistance I walked with them, but was glad that they didn´t go after Mother and Chiasa. _Please forgive me you two…_

Chiasa´s P.O.V

Shocked and despaired we stood outside of the Castle, while we couldn´t believe what had happened just now. _N- No, he can´t be…_

Nonō called his name and hammered loudly against the wooden door, but no reaction from inside. I stood just beside her, glancing to the ground and thinking about a solution, but my mind was blank. _What is going to happen with him now? What if they hurt him to force him into this marriage?!_

All of a sudden laid Nonō her hand on my shoulder and asked with a lightly shaking voice:

"W- What are we doing now Chiasa?"

I bite in my lower lip and thought about it for a moment, before I took a decision and said:

"It might be risky, but I don´t believe Lord Orochimaru saw me going with you, so if I could still go inside of the Castle without a problem tomorrow, then I should be able to free him somehow, though I have no guarantee that it will work…"

"And what should I do to help you?"

"Nothing, I´ll bring you to my Mother´s place and as soon as I got Kabuto out of there, we´ll come to pick you up as well…"

Sighing she replied:

"Fine, I guess I can trust you…"

* * *

**[A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late Update, but here is finally the next Chapter! I hope you liked it and as usual thanks for reviewing, following, reading and so on :D]**


	16. Pain, Protection and Love (Part 1)

**Chapter 16 ~ Pain, Protection and Love (Part 1)**

Chiasa´s P.O.V

Nervously I walked through the hallway of the Castle after I had somehow made it to go back inside, though the guards seemed a bit suspicious about the fact that they didn´t see me going outside early in the Morning as I told them. However, they weren´t the smartest ones, so I was able to fool them and had then only one thought in my mind: find Kabuto and get away from there as soon as possible.

The first thing I had to do now was to find out _where _exactly this dungeon was at, since I had never seen it before, due to the fact that there was no need for it anyways. So I searched as unsuspicious as I could through the Castle, but felt my body becoming stiff as I heard a familiar female voice calling for me. Though the time urged, I turned with an innocent smile on my lips around to her and asked politely:

"What can I do for you Lady Masami?"

She appeared somewhat annoyed and had her eyes narrowed, while she replied:

"Do you know what happened yesterday evening?"

Lightly I shook my head and she continued:

"My fiancé tried to run off, because he pretended to be in love with somebody else. Can you believe that?"

Once again I shook my head and made a shocked expression, while I asked:

"What happened to him now?"

Anger sparkled in her golden eyes with a glint of malice, while she said:

"He got what he deserved and is imprisoned in the Dungeon. He _will _marry me, father said he´d make him change his mind again, even if he has to force him."

For a moment I just looked at her a bit incredulous, due to the fact that she didn´t seem to care if Orochimaru would actually hurt _her _fiancé or do anything else to him. _How can she be so heartless? Doesn´t she care for him at least a bit?_

"Well Chiasa, you don´t coincidentally know _who _his little affair is?"

Nervousness spread through me, but I tried to hide that and asked:

"How should I know?"

"It appeared as if he saw you as some kind of friend, so it would´ve been possible that he tells you about it…"

She raised a brow, while I replied:

"No, he didn´t tell me about it and I have absolutely no idea who this girl could be…"

I was surprised how honest I sounded and Masami also sighed lightly and responded:

"Hmm, how sad, I would´ve liked to imprison that hussy for the rest of her life, but can´t help it then…"

She was about to walk past me, but I stopped her before she could and asked:

"By the way, where exactly is this Dungeon?"

Scornfully she replied:

"Are you an Idiot? It´s under the Castle of course…"

Nodding I thanked her for telling me and bowed, while she went away and I knew now what exactly I was looking for. _So I have to find the door which leads me downstairs…_

After a while, I had finally found it and saw that along the wall beside the stairs, hung a lot of torches which lightened up the way. I took a deep breath and begged mentally that nobody would see me, while I made carefully my way downstairs. _Don´t worry Kabuto, I´ll save you!_

* * *

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Afraid I embraced my knees and rested my head on them, shivering all over my body because of the cold and my fear. I couldn´t imagine that just imprisoning me was Orochimaru´s only plan, so that I prepared myself for the worst. _Anyways, I don´t regret that I saved the other two…_

A sigh escaped out of my lips as I thought that I´d never be able to live the life I wished for, the life I had planned to have with Chiasa. I loved her and I couldn´t describe how happy I was to know that she actually felt the same, but it didn´t matter anymore, I was here, imprisoned and would most likely be tortured to death, since one thing was for sure, I wouldn´t marry Masami, no matter what he´d do to me. _I could never see Masami as I see Chiasa and honestly, I wouldn´t want it anyways…_

Sudden steps snapped me out of my thoughts and I already assumed it was Orochimaru, who´d start _persuading _me to marry his daughter with everything he had, but I was rather surprised, or more shocked as I saw who it really was.

"N- No- why…?"

As I saw Chiasa standing in front of the cell, her blue eyes filled with tears, I stood immediately up and went to her, just the grating parting us from each other. I stretched my hand out of there and laid it on her cheek, caressing it, while I asked:

"Why are you here? You should be gone with my Mother, somewhere where you´re safe…"

She gazed now directly into my eyes and replied:

"I´d never leave this place without you Kabuto…"

A small smile made it´s way towards my lips as I said:

"It´s okay, really. As long as I know you´re safe, I´m ready to endure everything, so please leave Chiasa, for your own sake…"

At this she shook her head and gave me a urgentle glance, before she responded:

"I will not let them hurt you and we will leave this place together, just as you promised me we would…"

With this statement she turned away from me and was obviously looking for something, most likely the key to my cell, but it was nowhere to be found and she seemed a bit despaired. Mumbling she said:

"Where could it be? Or should I try to unlock it another way…?"

Just as she seemed to have another idea, there echoed again steps through the hall, making me and Chiasa become stiff.

"Hide somewhere…!"

I told her quietly, while she nodded and hide somewhere around the corner, where I couldn´t see her anymore. Just as she was gone, stood outside my cell two guards and in the middle Orochimaru, his too well-known smirk on his lips. Mockingly he asked:

"Have you been sleeping well Kabuto? I hope so, maybe you finally have made your mind up again, haven´t you?"

I narrowed my golden eyes slightly and replied:

"My answer remains the same as before, I won´t marry Masami."

The smirk disappeared and a displeased as well as somewhat angry expression had appeared, while he responded:

"Fine, then you leave me no other choice…"

One of the guards had opened the grating, while both of them then grabbed me roughly, dragging me outside the cell with Orochimaru hissing at me:

"You will regret disobeying my orders Kabuto!"

A shiver ran down my spine, but I tried to keep calm and walked with them. _I will be strong for you…_

Chiasa´s P.O.V

As I heard Orochimaru and his guards disappearing somewhere down the hallway with Kabuto, I left my hiding spot again and prayed that they wouldn´t hurt him. _I couldn´t endure it to see him in pain…_

Again I tried to figure out how to get him out of his cell as soon as they´d bring him back and thought that if I had a long, thin iron thingy, that I could maybe manage to break into the lock. _Hmm, at least I could try…_

So as I managed to find one, laying on the ground and appearing somewhat stable, I hide again inside of a very dark cell, where thanks god the others weren´t able to see me.

* * *

Later on, I didn´t know how much time had been passed, I heard again steps, but also a somewhat hauling noise, and a bad feeling spread through me. As they obviously had reached Kabuto´s cell again, I heard a plumping sound, followed by a chuckle from Orochimaru who said:

"My my, you´re more persistent than I thought, but therefore you paid the price for it."

Another chuckle was to be heard, before they closed the cell-door again and made their way back up into the Castle, while I was waiting until I couldn´t hear a single sound anymore.

Afraid of what I might see, I carefully approached the cell and as I looked inside, my worst Nightmare became reality. _Oh god please not…_

* * *

**[A/N: Well, I hope you liked this Chapter and be prepared for part 2 :D By the way, I think there´ll be two more Chapters before the Story ends, though I´m not sure yet lol It´s just a presumption, but I thought I should let you know :D Thanks for Reading, Reviewing and Following!]**


	17. Pain, Protection and Love (Part 2)

**Chapter 17 ~ Pain, Protection and Love (Part 2)**

Chiasa´s P.O.V

"K- Kabuto, can you hear me?!"

Shocked, because of the sight in front of me, I felt paralyzed and just stared at him, how he laid there, motionless and stained with blood. As I finally was able to move again, I tried panicking to break into the lock somehow, to examine and maybe treat his injuries if possible. After what felt like eternity, I had eventually made it to open the grating and went as quickly as I could inside, where I kneeled down beside him and shook him carefully.

"Please wake up…"

Pleadingly I spoke to him, while I saw how his eyelids slowly flattered open, what was obviously very onerous. He groaned in pain as he tried to shift into another position, while I said softly:

"Don´t move too much, you´re badly hurt…"

His golden eyes glanced at me for a moment, before he shook his head slowly and smiled lightly, as he replied:

"I- I´m fine…"

Determined, he took a deep breath and sat up, while a smile hushed above my lips, but what followed were tears of sorrow and guilt. As I looked at him, I saw the black eye which he got, the stains of blood around his mouth and on his clothes, as well as the tracks of the lashing, which he obviously had to go through, what became visible on his arms.

"I´m sorry…"

I mumbled with a lightly shaking voice, but he just pulled me closer on him and kissed me gently on the lips, while he said:

"It´s not your fault Chiasa, it´s my own for being stupid, so please don´t cry because of me…"

Tightly I laid my arms around him and nodded quietly, but felt still guilty for all that had happened to him, since if it wasn´t for me he wouldn´t have had such problems in the first place. After a few minutes of just enjoying this closeness between us, I pulled slightly away again and asked:

"Do you think you´re able to walk?"

He nodded, while I stood up and held then my hand out to help him getting up again, but the torture which he had to endure weakened him more than he wanted to admit. Staggering he tried to hold his balance, but in order to prevent him from falling to the ground again, I laid my arm around his waist and he his arm around my shoulder. Slowly, we started walking towards the stairs, while I started telling him about our new flight route:

"It would be too risky to go through the front door and as much as I know is there another exit somewhere in the garden, the only problem is I don´t know where and the possibility that we get caught is quiet high as well…"

"I see, but it´s not as if we have another choice, so let´s do it…"

"Yes…"

* * *

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Laborious we walked up the stairs, while I felt my back as well as my limbs and my torso hurting badly, due to the treatment I got earlier. However, it was bearable and I´d withstand until we would´ve made it out of this awful Castle. _Beside, I often got beaten up in my childhood as well, so I´m some kind of used to it…_

Finally, as we had reached the door which led inside of the hallway of the palace, Chiasa squinted carefully outside to make sure that nobody was out there, while she then guided me outside and towards the entrance of the garden. In total silence we continued our way and made it without any complications outside into the large yard, where Chiasa then whispered:

"Let´s start searching for the exit, before they notice your absence…"

As quick as we could, since I couldn´t walk as fast as I wanted to, we searched alongside the wall which parted the palace and the garden from the surroundings, but felt myself unfortunately becoming tired during our search. My breathing became harder due to the exhaustion, while Chiasa asked a bit worriedly:

"Are you okay? We can rest if you-"

"No, it´s fine, beside that we don´t have the time for breaks now…"

Quietly sighing, but also nodding she gave in and tried to comfort me while walking as good as she could. Just as everything seemed hopeless and we had already searched along more than half of the wall, I suddenly saw a small, wooden door, which was overgrown by ivy. Relief spread through me and a hint of gladness sparkled inside of Chiasa´s blue orbs, while we then approached the door and tried to open it up, what wasn´t as easy as it had looked like.

"That damn ivy…"

She cursed, while she tried with all her strength to drag the door open, as I suddenly heard a rustling noise behind me. In agony I stared at the person I had spotted and as Chiasa also turned around, her eyes widened as well.

"L- Lady Masami, what are you doing here?!"

Masami´s face was blank, but her eyes had a somewhat threatening as well as dangerous glint inside, so that a slight chill ran down my spine. Without any emotions in her voice, she said:

"I knew my instinct wasn´t wrong when I thought that there was something between you two, it´s still just incomprehensible for my why you´d choose this little, worthless Maid before me…"

Though I could assume she probably didn´t want to hear my response, I answered anyways with confidence in my voice:

"Because I love her and I never cared for her rank, for me she is perfect and this will never change…"

Masami narrowed her golden eyes at me, while she said:

"How pathetic can you be, do you really think alongside her you could have a happy life? Don´t make me laugh! People will always hate and despise you, because you´re not like them and in the end she will leave you and search for a man who can give her a normal life, while you will end up alone and lonely…"

Before I even could react to what she said, stood Chiasa suddenly in front of me and glanced at her, while she responded a bit angrily:

"How dare you saying something like this Masami?! Just because you value everybody because of how they look and their rank, doesn´t mean everybody is this way! Love does not imply for you to be the most beautiful, richest nor most powerful person in this world, it´s just about how much you mean to each other and what you´re ready to do for this person to make him happy! I love Kabuto just the way he is and I don´t mind others opinion about him!"

Snorting, Masami replied:

"Ridiculous, but I doesn´t matter anymore, since Father already told me that he is a hopeless case and that he has to kill him eventually…"

My eyes widened at this, especially as she suddenly showed the dagger she had hidden behind her back and smirked malicious at me.

"It´d be unfair if I wasn´t the one to end your valueless life, beside that if I can´t have you, then she won´t neither!"

With the intention to kill me, she ran towards me, while I tried to push Chiasa out of the way so that she wouldn´t get hurt in the process, but she didn´t move and remained at her place.

"Chiasa, what are you-?!"

Unexpectedly, she grabbed Masami by her wrist and prevented her so from stabbing through her, what surprised me since I didn´t though of her having so much strength. The next thing that happened was that Masami tried to free her arm somehow to end with what she begun, but before she was able to do that, had Chiasa already pulled her down to the ground and rung with her in order to hold her back from doing something stupid.

"Go and open the door Kabuto! Hurry!"

She yelled towards me, while I finally reawakened out of my shock and tried then to open the still intractable door. Behind me I heard Masami then saying:

"It doesn´t matter if you hold me back from ending his life, because if I don´t do it then somebody else will, I assure you that!"

Chiasa growled at that, while Masami suddenly started calling aloud:

"Help me! Father or anybody! Hel-"

I turned my head slightly as I heard her being cut off and saw then Chiasa holding her mouth shut with the palm of her hand, while she hissed:

"Shut up!"

The wooden door gave also finally in as I pulled against it with all the strength that I had left, while I then exclaimed:

"It´s open, let´s get away from here!"

Nodding, Chiasa grabbed the dagger out of Masami´s hand and twinkled badly at her, before she stabbed the blade through the fabric of Masami´s violet dress and said:

"In contrast to you, I´m not interested in killing people…"

Quickly she then ran to me, grabbed my hand tightly and dragged me outside, where she slammed the door as hard as she could shut. Though I still felt exhausted, I tried to hold the pace in which we ran through the dense Forest, as I suddenly noticed the scratches Chiasa had on her arms, on her cheek and the cut wound she had on her waist, which was bleeding. Worriedly I glanced at her, but knew that we didn´t have the time to examine and take care of her injuries now, so that I remained silent.

Finally, after what felt like at least an hour or so of running, we both were puffed and had to stop, what I really appreciated since I felt like collapsing every moment.

"W- We have to go further, my Mother´s house isn´t that far away…"

I just nodded and walked in a slower pace beside her through the Woods, until we had reached the house of her Mother, where also mine was waiting for me and shed tears of happiness and relief as she caught sight of us.

"I´m so glad that you´re alive Kabuto!"

She said sobbing, while she embraced me tightly, so that it became a bit hard to breath, but I didn´t mind and returned the hug with pleasure. Also Chiasa´s mom seemed relieved when she saw her daughter being alright, though she frowned as she saw the wound she had on her waist, which had bled through her white shirt blouse.

"Dear, what happened to you?"

She shook her head slightly, with a smile on her rosy lips and replied:

"It´s not that bad, really, but Kabuto has some bad injuries which should be treated…"

Just as she had said that, dragged me my Mother on the sofa and ordered me to take the shirt off, so that she could clean and bandage the wounds I had gained.

"So, that should do it for now. Chiasa you´re next!"

My Mother gave me suddenly a strange glance, before she added:

"But let´s do that in the bedroom…"

At first I didn´t know what that look and the statement meant, but then it hit me and I blushed furiously.

"I wouldn´t have looked when she´d have taken off her shirt!"

I also saw a decent blush spread across Chiasa´s cheeks, while my Mother just giggle slightly and went then with her away to take care of her injury as well. _I´m not that kind of pervert…!_

* * *

Later on, as we all sat together in the living room and drank a cup of tea, Chiasa suddenly cleared her throat and said:

"You know that we can´t stay here, right?"

I nodded and replied:

"Yes, we should get away from here as soon as possible…"

Now I shifted my gaze towards Mother, who already seemed to know what that meant and had an understanding look in her green eyes, while she said:

"It´s alright, but visit me sometimes, okay?"

"Of course!"

I exclaimed, while Chiasa asked then a bit hesitantly:

"It might be too much to ask for, but could you take my Mother with you Nonō? I´d feel better if I´d know somebody is there who takes care of her, beside that now it isn´t safe for her here…"

Mother tilted her head slightly, but smiled then and replied:

"I wouldn´t mind doing that, beside that a bit company wouldn´t be bad, what do you say?"

She turned to Chiasa´s Mother, who seemed a bit surprised, but nodded then and responded:

"It might be for the best, beside that it became quiet boring and lonely all alone here…"

Chiasa let out a sigh of relief, while I also had a better feeling, now that I knew Mother wouldn´t be alone anymore, but still, our farewell the next Morning was far from easy, since I´d still miss her a lot. However, in order to keep our parents save, we had to separate ways and honestly, having finally a bit alone time with Chiasa wouldn´t be bad at all.

"So, are you ready?"

She asked with a soft smile on her lips, while I nodded, grabbed her hand tightly and replied:

"Yes, let´s go towards tomorrow…"

* * *

**[A/N: Hey guys! Well, that was one hard Chapter to write, because I had an inner conflict with myself about their escape from the Castle. I first thought I should let Orochimaru show up once more, but how should those two make it outside when all those guards would´ve stopped them? That´s why I wrote it as I did and gave Masami a bit more screen time lol :D I hope you liked it anyways and the next Chapter will be the last one, so prepare yourselves for a lot of fluff and a bit drama! :D Thanks for Reading, Reviewing, Following and so on!**


	18. A Happy End

**Chapter 18 ~ A Happy End**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

~ A few months later ~

Quietly I walked through the corridor of our house, while I inhaled the sweet scent of food that came out of the kitchen. It had been five months since we had run off from Orochimaru´s Castle and luckily, we were able to find a place to stay, in fact at the Southern Kingdom. The people there didn´t seem to have too much of a problem with my appearance, though ever now and then they gave me suspicious glances as well, but I could deal with it, because I didn´t care for their opinions anymore. _There´s just one person whose opinion I care for…_

"Good Morning beautiful ~"

I whispered in Chiasa´s ear, while I had laid my arms tightly around her from behind and peeked above her shoulder to see what she was cooking. I saw that her face was slightly reddened and it became even redder as I turned her to me and gave her a peck on the lips. A smile graced her features as well as mine, while she asked:

"How have you been sleeping?"

"Mhm quiet well, but it´s better to wake up beside you, you know…"

I replied as I cupped her face, but she just sighed quietly and grinned afterwards, while saying:

"If you want that, then you have to wait for Breakfast a little longer than usual from now on…"

"I wouldn´t mind that much…"

A month ago we had purchased a small, nice house in a little Village, while Chiasa immediately got herself a job as a saleswoman inside of a grocery store and I, well, I started doing the same as my Mother did and mixed Medicine for the people at the Village and, one can hardly believe it, I was quiet successful with that. It was really a pleasure to live at such a nice place with friendly people and with the woman I loved after we had gone through so much trouble, but therefore I cherished every moment we had together from now on even more.

But there were still moments when I feared that Orochimaru might find us again and would try to separate us once more, though nothing had happened so far, luckily. _I hope it remains like this…_

Later during Night, while we laid in our bed with her cuddling on me and sleeping, I couldn´t find some sleep since something else was on my mind. I missed Mother and I could imagine Chiasa felt the same with hers, but I assumed it was still too early to go there without any danger. _But still…_

Chiasa moved slightly, as I suddenly noticed that she had opened her eyes and gave me a lightly questioning look, while I said apologizing:

"I´m sorry, I didn´t want to wake you up…"

Slightly she shook her head and replied:

"You didn´t, I often wake up during Night, it became some kind of a routine already…"

"Hmm, why is that?"

We gazed into each others eyes for a moment, before she responded:

"I have a lot in my mind lately, about our Mothers and about us…"

"Tell me about it…"

So she told me about her matter of concern, while I realized that her worries were nearly the same as mine, with the difference that she also feared her Mother could die in the time she wasn´t with her, a burden which she unfortunately had to carry.

Comforting I stroked above her blonde locks, while I said quietly:

"We´ll try to visit them as soon as possible, I promise…"

* * *

~ four months later ~

With a smirk on my lips and an arm laid around Chiasa, I walked through my old home Village, while I couldn´t tell how excited I was to see my Mother again after such a long time.

The people glanced a bit dumbfounded at me and my girlfriend, but I couldn´t care less and ignored their stares. Finally, we had reached her house and I knocked enthused on the door, while I immediately pulled her into my arms as she opened the door.

"K- Kabuto?!"

Her voice was filled with surprise, but also with happiness and as I let go of her again, she gave me a bright, warm smile. She also embraced Chiasa tightly and asked us then to come in, while Chiasa seemed more than happy as she saw her Mother sitting on the sofa, reading a book and appearing rather healthy.

After those two greeted each other as well with a long hug, we all sat together and they wanted to know where we were living now, what we had been doing and if we had any troubles, but they seemed relieved as we told them that everything was fine and that we were more than happy at the place we lived at.

"I´m glad that you finally found what you were looking for dear…"

My Mother said softly, while I nodded and replied:

"Yes, the only thing which bugs me is that we´re living so far away from each other…"

"That troubles me as well, that´s why we already thought about moving to the Southern Kingdom as well. We don´t have to live in the same Village though, but we would be closer to each other, especially when I´d want to see my future grand children more often…"

She grinned and winked at Chiasa, who blushed and responded a bit flustered:

"Uhm, I- I think it will take a bit before that happens…"

We all laughed about her embarrassment, but I also was a bit blushed, since I had thought about it every now and then as well. _Hmm, that would be nice to have a child or two…_

We stayed for a week at my Mother´s place, before we returned back to our own home, while I teased Chiasa every now and then with this children thing. I found it cute how she always blushed and became embarrassed, that´s why I couldn´t resist and continued with it, until one day she suddenly asked smirking:

"If you want it so bad, then why don´t we make one right now?"

My eyes widened slightly and I gulped, since I didn´t expect such a question from her, but I also smirked lightly and replied:

"Maybe we´ll do that ~"

* * *

~ some months later ~

"Ne Kabuto, I´m hungry…!"

Chuckling I walked over to my pregnant wife, who sat currently at the kitchen table and was waiting for me to finish our dinner. I gave her a kiss on her hair and replied smiling:

"It´s nearly finished…"

She became more chubby already, but honestly she still was very beautiful for me. Pouting she gazed at me and responded:

"But I´m hungry now…"

I some kind of loved that moments when she acted like this, because I found that quiet adorable.

"Hmm, do you think this will do it as well?"

I leaned down and gave her a tender kiss, and as I pulled away again, she replied quietly:

"Do it again, please…"

* * *

~ several months later ~

"It´s a girl…"

The doctor said cheerful, while he gave our little baby in Chiasa´s arms, who gave the new-born a bright, soft smile.

"Hello little one, I´m your mommy…"

My eyes were suddenly filled with tears of joy, but I tried to hold them back and concentrated on Chiasa, who suddenly smiled at me and gestured for me to take the little human also up on my arms, what I did with pleasure.

She was really beautiful, with her short blonde hair, which she obviously had from her Mother as well as her fair skin, while I could see that she had also violet marks around her eyes just as I had. I gave the little one a kiss on the forehead, wherefore she suddenly opened her eyes and revealed the same golden eyes as mine.

My lips curled up into a happy, joyful smile, while Chiasa asked:

"How should we call her? Do you have something in mind?"

For a moment I paused, before I replied:

"Chizuru sounds nice…"

"Yes, I think that´s a nice name as well…"

* * *

~ three years later ~

"Grandma!"

Chizuru exclaimed as she ran happily towards my Mother, who went into the squat to embrace her grand child tightly. Chiasa and I also approached them, while our daughter asked smiling:

"Can we visit my other grandmother as well?"

I looked at my wife, who smiled sadly, but nodded in agreement, wherefore Chizuru grabbed my Mother´s hand and dragged her away. It was always a pleasure for me to watch my own flesh and blood, and how beautiful she looked like. Her blonde hair was now shoulder length and those eyes of hers somehow fitted her whole appearance. She never questioned why she looked like this and not like other children, what I found good, since I never would´ve wanted her to experience the same as I did. Luckily, she also was a very happy go lucky child and she even had some friends inside of the Village, who didn´t seem to have a problem with her appearance at all. _I´m glad…_

Quietly we walked now up on a small hill, where Chizuru picked up a few flowers from a meadow and ran then towards a huge, blooming tree.

"Hello Grandmother!"

She placed the wild flowers carefully on the grave and smiled brightly as she sat down in front of it and started then talking with her deceased grandmother. Sadly did she pass away right after Chizuru´s birth, what made Chiasa more than sad since she had wished that her Mother would´ve been able to watch our child grow up as well, but life was cruel at times and she died because of her disease.

As we stood now there and watched her talking to Chiasa´s Mother, I had laid my arm around my wifes shoulder and looked at her softly.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded slighty, but sniffed and replied:

"Yes, but it still hurts…"

I pressed her tightly on me and tried to comfort her as good as I could, but I knew just time could heal her wounds, no matter how hard I´d try.

* * *

Later on that day, we were all together at my Mother´s house, where she currently read something to Chizuru, who listened to her attentive and excitedly. Chiasa and I sat on the sofa, from where we watched those two interacting with each other, with a smile on our lips. _Hmm…_

As the sun slowly started setting, we made our way back home, since we didn´t live that far away from each other and it were just 30 Minutes from Mother´s Village to ours. We both held our daughters hands, with me on the left and Chiasa on the right, as Chizuru suddenly said:

"I love you two, you know!"

We both smiled down at her and replied:

"We love you too little Angel…"

A bit later, while I watched how my two dearest slept cuddling inside of the bed, I thought about the past and how grateful I was that things turned out so well, though there was a time when it hadn´t seem like this. A year ago I had heard a rumor that Orochimaru´s daughter had married a very rich royal, but I didn´t know much more, except that Masami and her husband reigned now neither his nor Orochimaru´s Kingdom. _Well, at least that means that they won´t try to harm us anymore…_

Silently, I also laid down in the bed and wrapped my arms around those two, while I gave each of them a slight kiss on the forehead and dozed then slowly off myself. _I really couldn´t wish for a better life…_

* * *

**[A/N: Hey! Well, I hope you liked this last Chapter :D Thanks to everybody who read this FanFiction, who fav/followed it and who Reviewed it! Until next time! :D]**


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